The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1908-03-12
PROFITABLE POULTRY FOR N. D. FARMERS
o. W. Dynes Of the c. Poultry Department Presents Some
Very Profitable Hints to the Delegates at the
Tri-State Convention.

to the best health of the fowls. At
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 10 the freezing point. The tenn
perature of the house is largely adjust
ed by M cans of the windows, the reg
ular ven'iiators proving inadequate
for the purpose.
"Nentilat:oa-Fresh air is more I'M.
portaEt tEGn warmth in the poultry
house. Warm. ill-ventilated houses
produce enervatioI in the fowls and a
consequent lack of egg production. No
system of ventilation will be found
satisfactory in Il frost proof hen house
without the use OF the windows as an
sid. The windows should be so con-
stuc ed that they can be easily open
cd, esre ia.lI during sunny days or
tie mile nights of winter. Cold
drafts must be a:oided. however. The
Use Ct cob frame curtain will pre-.
, vent trouble of this sort. and on the
station TO- ltry plant we have found
! This 4 splendid adjunct to our system
Of ventilation. Either muslin. burlap
or Cuck ns may be used for this pur-
| ose. We use a ta:l-ouacc duck cloth
fnd so far tAis winter the windows
hive lcen i ct open both day and
night. The windows are arranged in
/ E;ics. two windows to each pen, and
TIE Cloth frame is placed ON each al
teri ate window. Some of the sunlight
has tean shut off, but it has given
! letter ventilation and Il hoase free
! from .la.ipness AID Gisag7eeable
oaors. OF these three factors which
tie po.ltry Ian E:ust to certain e.
ten, ,o2tro'. viz. Light, Temperature
and Ventilation. the problem of fresh
ali is The most vex:ng. TIE use OF
cloti! curtains and an intel!isent man
asement OF the windows is the best
solution yet offered.
Feeding Laying Hens.
There ere three general Classes OF
foods which fowls should have if the
best results are to be obtained. These
are. first. grain feeds: second. animal
1~c,!. and third. green food.
Grain Feeds-All of the we'll known
cereals with raae possible exception Of
fax make good feeds for poultry.
Wheat is probably the best single
grain feed, leaving cost out of con-
sideration. We have. as it contains the
nutrients in a 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 a food for
poultry. II IS cheaper feed than
wheat. lut it is TOO fat1ening unless
fed with some care. 1t should be
srourd CT cracked for chicks but can
be fed whole to older birds. Fowls do
not take readily TO oats but il makes
a very desirable food If fed as a sup
plen2ent TO corn. Barley is not as pal
aiable srain 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 he supplied. The commercial
article called beef scraps and green
cut bone are in most common use.
While green cut bone is probably SUI
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 viii pay in dollars and cents. if used
in judicious manner.
Green Feels-Under ordinary farm
conditions hens lay best during the
spring months when they have free
ran: and plenty of green food. The
Joul.Iykearer should aim to surround
them with sumner conditions as far
as possible in the winter months
While Ierh ps he cannot allow them
frse ,r,rge lie may at least supply in
limited quantities the green food
which the Zen graves and which it
must have if the best results are OBJ
tanned. Clipped lawn grass or short
cut slfalfa. steamed and fed alone or
with a mash viii be found very salts
f:c,ory ANY of the vegetables, such
as cabbage. trrnips. beets or man.
/ gods. fowls will eat with great relish.
: BY the Ibis raj use of green food the
poul,ryman 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
p!;nt is substantially as follows: In
! the morning whole wheat is fed in the
deep litter on the floor of the pens: at
noon mixture consisting Of one part
each of bran. shorts or middlings. corn
neal. linseed meal and beef scraps is