Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-06-04
Summer Feeding of Poultry.

Summer feeding of poultry is q rather
simple process on the average farm, es-
pecially where the farmer does not at
tempt to breed fancy stock, in which
case il is necessary to pen up the breed
ers for a portion Of the time, which
will somewhat complicate the feeding.
Where the flock runs at large, as is the
case in general on most farms, little feed
ing is necessary for the old stock. They
will pick up the larger portion of their
food and the kind of food and in proper
proportions to keep them in healthy,
vigorous condition for layers and breed
ers. Except on stormy days 1t is
best to feed only at night, when good
feed will materially assist in keeping up
a regular and abundant egg supply. On
stormy days, when il is impossible for
the fowls to get out and search for their
food, it will be found advantageous to
feed at least two full meals. This will
insure a regular supply of eggs, which
cannot be relied upon unless the fowls
have a regular supply of feed.
Among the grains most suitable for
summer feeding are oats, wheat, barley,
buckwhea kaffir corn, with corn fed
spariDgly. Too many poultry keepers
make the mistake of feeding too much
corn during the summer. Corn is a
great fat producing food, and will often
result in many of the older fowls becom-
ing overfat. Especially is this true with
the medium to heavy breeds. Chickens
like corn better than almost anything
else, and they need a certain portion Of
it, not only in supplying q variety, but
because of its being we'll suited to their
needs. But it is too heating and too fat
teuiDg for a regular summer ration. l
make it practice to give my fowls one
feeding a day of corn and this light one
and generly mostly cracked corn.
Do not stuff the fowls at any time. 1t
is best to keep them little hungry, 80
they will forage we'll for the larger part
of their food. A system of hopper feed
ing can be adopted If desirable in which
case the hoppers should be placed under
shelter and be so constructed that they
can 6e closed portion of the day II
experience indicates this to be best.
Some fowls will not forage much II they
can get all they want to eat without, and
for this reason IL may be found advisable
to close the hoppers portion OF the day.
Ii would be best to do this during the
morning hours, but whenever 1t is done
there should be regular time, as regu-
larity has much to do with getting good
results from poultry. A good ration for
hopper feeding for summer feed is equal
parts of ground corn and oats and wheat
bran. Animal food and green feed they
get on the range. A box Of grit and
oyster shells should be kept where the
fowls may have free and easy access to It..
The drinking water is another very
important matter to be considered.
Proper drinking fountains should be
supplied, such as can be readily cleaned
often, and where they are not only of
easy access to the fowls, but within easy
reach of the busy farmer. Farmers are
generally very busy during the summer
months, and anything that will save time
and still produce good results is to their
advantage. 1t is, therefore, quite i'm
portant that the drinking vessels be OF
the proper kind, that can be easily clean
ed and placed where they can be readily
refilled. A regular supply of pure water,
as cool as possible, should be given the
fowls during the hot weather months.
They will consume large quantities, and
unless they have plenty Of it they not
only suffer but fall short in the egg yield.
When the fact that the egg is largely
composed of water is taken into consid-
Grafton the cause ia readily seen. Do not
neglect the drinking vessels, and above
ali, do not compel the fowls to drink
from stagnant pools Of water about the
barnyard. The water thus consumed
goes into the egg, and although nature
Eas wisely provided for the elimination
from the egg of much of the unsavory
elements consumed by the ben, she can
not produce the best favored eggs from
such LIQUID. Neither does it make
healthy meat of the best flavor. A little
care 10 looking after the water supply
will produce the right kind OF eggs.