The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-07-01

| llOIn luCI1. ADu " lIohO bhC ONSA
ness pay he must know the value OF
what he feeds. 1t makes a great diff
ference whether a food is rich or
poor in protein and carbohydrates.
First of all will explain what pro-
| tein or albumen and carbohydrates
mean. Protein is the general name
| for all substances containing albu-
men in the white of the egg, the lean
of the beef and in the casein of the
milk and other nutritious substances.
Carbohydrates stand for starch
sugar, etc., non-nutrittive materials.
The egg contains: Albumen, 1885;
fat, 12.11; carbohydrates, 0.55; water
1857; ashes or salt, 1.12.
The analysis of the egg shows us
quite plainly that no kind of grain
contains sufficient protein to make
| hens lay out of season or in other
| words to get full benefit from them
without feeding something more con-
centrated Neither would it be prac-
tical to feed hens only on concentrate
ed substances, therefore we should
balance their rations the best we can
We can call it balanced when we feed
/ part of protein to 4 parts of non
heterogeneous material.
A good ration say for 100 laying hens
of the American varieties-Wyan-
dottes, r. l. Reds, Plymouth Rocks
would be as follows: Twelve pounds
of heavy oats; IL ounces of wheat; 5
pounds bran, or pea and oats chop; 6
pounds potatoes.
In cold weather I would substitute
corn for oats as the hens require
more animal heat. That ration is
called sustenance feed We must
add the production food in the shape
of green cut bone, meat meal, pOul.
try food etc. For my part | would
not use anything else but good re-
liable poultry food for it is the cheap
est and most economical, providing 1t
contains large percentage of pro-
tein, but | do not recommend them
for very seldom are they good.
tested beef scraps by putting about
a pound in dish and poured boiling
water over it. There are scraps that
are good, but they are hard to obtain.
Poultry spices or condition powders
are absolutely valueless unless for
tonic, but for general feeding too
dear at any cost. They only irritate
IAO ulSCOClNO cA0 SChCl oClfO VI S1lS
and If they make the hens lay they
are forced to lay.
If green cut bones are fed "A
of an ounce per pan is sufficient, or
from ~ to 2 pounds for 100 hens
for daily ration. If too much green
bones are fed they will cause intes-
final disorder and will weaken the
constitution. Potatoes should be
boiled Carrots or turnips can also
be used) and mixed with oats or pea
chop, or bran, either of them is good.
This ration is for fowls confined to
yards Hens on free range do not
require heavy feeding at least during
the summer as they can pick up
waste grain, worms, bugs, etc., but
they certainly will appreciate mash
at noon and will repay it. OF course
they should get all the grain they
can eat up clean before going to
roost for no hen can be of any pro-
fit to it's owner unless fed and fed
literally.
Feeding too much should also be
avoided for it is also a waste. If the
Asiatic classes, Langshans, Cochins
and Brahmas are kept they are nat
uraly inclined to put on fat and hens
of such varieties should be made to
work for grain by having scratch
ing sheds with about foot of straw
or chaff on the floor in which the
grain should be thrown.
1t is practically impossible to put
up food ration to suit all cases for
climate, condition and circumstances
and the object of the breeder must
come under consideration. Many peo-
pie buy inferior grain because it is
cheap. This is serious mistake. The