The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1908-03-13
PROFITABLE POULTRY FOR N. D. FARMERS
O. Dynes Of the G. Poultry Department Presents Some
Very Profitable Hints to the Delegates at the
1ri-State Conventions.

SSSS
the experiment station we have found
that temperature of about 40 deg.
Fair. during the day give the best re-
suits, while at night it is allowed to
drop to the freezing point. The tenn
perature of the house is largely adjust
ed by means of the windows, the reg
ular ventilators proving inadequate
for the purpose.
"Ventilation-Fresh air is more i'm.
portant than warmth in the poultry
house. Warm, ill-ventilated houses
produce enervation in the fowls and a
consequent lack of egg production. No
system of ventilation will be found
satisfactory in frost proof hen house
without the use of the windows as an
aid. The windows should be so con-
structed that they can be easily OPEN
ed, especially during sunny days or
the milder nights of winter. Cold
drafts must be avoided, however. The
use of cloth frame curtain will pre-
vent trouble of this sort, and on the
station poultry plant we have found
this splendid adjunct to our system
of ventilation. Either muslin, burlap
or duckfng may be used for this pur-
pose. We use a ten-ounce duck cloth
and so far this winter the windows
have been kept open both day and
night. The windows are arranged in
pairs, two windows to each pen, and
the cloth frame is placed ON each al.
ternate window. Some of the sunlight
has been shut off, but it has given
better ventilation and a house free
from dampness and disagreeable
Odors. OF these three factors which
the poultryman must to a certain ex-
tent control, viz, Light, Temperature
and Ventilation, the problem of fresh
air is the most yexing. The use of
cloth curtains and an intelligent man
agement of the windows is the best
solution yet offered.
Feeding Laying Hens.
"There are three general classes of
foods which fowls should have if the
best results are to be obtained. These
are, first, grain feeds; second, animal
fBod, and third, green food.
Grain Feeds-An Of the we'll known
cereals with the poasble exception of
max make good feeds for poultry.
Wheat is probably the best single
grain feed, leaving cost out of con-
sideration, we have, as 1t contains the
nutrients in better balanced form
than the other grains. In wheat rails
ing districts it can we'll form one:half
the daily ration of hens. Corn is next
in value and Importance as food for
poultry. It is cheaper feed than
wheat, but it is too fattening unless
fed with some care. It should be
ground or cracked for chicks but can
be fed whole to older birds. Fowls do
not take readily to oats but it makes
a very desirable food if fed as a sup
plement to corn. Barley is not as pal
atable grain for hens as the grains we
have just mentioned, but when ground
makes good food for all classes of
poultry.
animal Foods-All fowls crave an
imal food of some sort and it must be
used to supplement the grain ration
if good result sare to be expected.
There are several forms in which this
may be supplied. The commercial
article called beef scraps and green
cut bone are in most common use.
While green cut bone is probably ST.
perior to beef scraps for actual feed
ing is concerned, yet the difficulty of
securing it, the labor involved in cut
ting the bone and the fact that it
spoils easily does not make it a very
satisfactory feed. Skim milk is an
excellent protein food and can be fed
with profit. Kitchen scraps are also
a good source of animal food and
should be saved and fed to the hens.
The average flock of laying hens is
fed too little animal food, and while it
may seem an expensive policy to
purchase the commercial article, yet
it will pay in dollars and cents, if used
in judicious manner.
"Green Feeds-Under ordinary farm
conditions hens lay best during the
spring months when they have free
range and plenty of green food. The
roultrykeeper should aim to surround
them with summer conditions as far
as possible in the winter months.
While perhaps he cannot allow them
free range he may at least supply in
limited quantities the green food
which the hen Graves and which it
must have If the best results are OBJ
tanned. Clipped lawn grass or short
cut alfalfa, steamed and fed alone or
with a mash will be found very salts
factory. Any of the vegetables, such
as cabbage, turnips, beets or man.
colds, fowls will eat with great relish.
BY the liberal use of green food the
poultryman can duplicate in meas
ure summer conditions for his flock of
fowls.
"How to Feed-The plan of feeding
laying hens on the station poultry
plant Is substantially as follows: In
the morning whole wheat is fed in the
deep litterson the floor OF the pens; at
noon mixture consisting aof One part
each of bran, shorts or middlings. corn
meal. linseed meal and beef scraps is