Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-09-22

In feeding hens much depends upon
the season, the object in view and the
breed of fowls kept; the results obtained
depend asgood deal, too, on how the
food is given. l prefer to feed mixed
grain food and scatter it all in dry lit
ter. By having the grain well mixed
and thoroughly scattered through the
litter each hen has an equal chance both
in quantity and kind of grain. 1t is sur
prising to see how little green food some
people furnish to their poultry, and
when quite large flocks are kept, too.
Some seem to think that feed CON-
posed of corn-meal and bran, given once
in a while in the morning, is all that is
required outside of the hard grain they
have. Frequently cabbage is given the
hens. Cabbage answers very well for a
change, but as it contains 90 per cent OF
water and only about per cent of pro-
rein, it is not very substantial food for
either laying or market stock. II a
good egg yield is desired flock should
have a regular supply of green food
say, what they will eat up clean in ten
minutes once a day-but like other
kinds of food, this must be of the right
kind to produce the best results. Well
cured clover hay or alfalfa properly fed
is the best thing | have used in the
shape of green food. Other conditions
being favorable, this food will show it's
good effects in very short time. Much
of the clover we get is not we'll cured,
and therefore is not relished by the hens
as it would be if of first quality. Beets,
turnips, carrots, etc, are good for lay
ing hens, either cooked or raw. During
the season when saving eggs for hatch
ing am not much in favor of feeding
very heavily of any soft food, but make
the ration principally of solid grain.
Skim milk is an exceptionally good hen
food. The fowls relish it, and 1t takes
the place of meat and is a great egg pro-
ducer. Oats are very good egg food,
and contain more than IL per cent pro-
tein. Good oats are perhaps the best
whole grain that can be given to balance
a heavy corn diet. A good many oats
consist of quite large percentage of
husks and are almost worthless as hen
food. To feed nothing but oats to hens
and expect them TO lay well would be a
very poor and unreasonable way OF feed
ing. But not one feed alone of any kind
will give the results that mixture or
variety will.
Corn is good feed for fattening pur
poses, and also when fed in connection
with other feed or when given to hens
that have free range. II not fed too
literally it gives good results. Corn is
heat producing food, and the feeding
Of it cOunteracts to large extent the
abuse of poor shelter. This latter pur-
pose which il is put to is altogether too
common. In feeding cracked corn it is
better TO crack as needed, and in this
way get its full food value.
Barley contains little more protein
than wheat or oats, and at the price it
could be bought for few years ago was
a cheaper hen feed than wheat. Poultry
do not relish it quite as well as they do
wheat. IL is now hard to get with us at
any reasonable price. Both laying hens
and growing chickens do well on wheat.
To feed alone | think there is no better
grain. Broken wheat and good screen
irgs make valuable hen feed.-Vincent
NJ. Couch, Cortland, n. Y, in Tribune
Farmer.