Charlevoix county herald., 1912-02-03
WET OR DRY MASH
FOR POULTRY
By J. q. LINTON, Instructor in Poultry Hus-
bandry, Michigan Agricultural College

Much has been talked and written
about the advisability OF feeding wet
or dry mash. A great deal depends
upon the purpose OF the feed, whether
for fattening, growing chicks or for
egg production, and great deal de-
pends upon the feeder and his facili-
ties. Either method is good under
certain conditions.
For producing fine soft quality OF
meat soft wet foods may be used to
best advantage. BY wet foods are not
meant sloppy foods. which are to be
avoided in feeding chickens, but moist,
soft, as in fattening foods, or crumbiy
as in others. A very important don't
is Don't feed sloppy foods"
In case of the growing chicks it is
often noted that during the hot sum-
mer months an afternoon feed OF
crumbly mash is better relished than
easy method of feeding to place dry
mash hoppers in or about the houses
on range and allow the birds freedom
of access. Birds brought up by either
system may produce very favorable
results, but it should be observed and
remembered that chickens should
never be changed suddenly from a
wet mash to dry mash diet, or vice
versa, as this is apt to cause severe
setback.
Wet mash mixed with cooked vege-
tables and served warm is conducive
TO excellent results with some feed
ers, but TO offer such a feed requires
equipment for preparation which is
not always possessed, and also takes
considerable time each day.
When the flock is small and there
is plenty of table scraps, these fed
with mash, together of course with the
necessary grit, oyster shell and fresh
water, should make the hens lay, pro-
vided their other care is good. In
who administers this kind OF treat
ment can show better egg records in
percentage than the feeder of the
large flocks, due to the ration and the
care.
In cold weather if wet mash Ia fed
| parts are apt to become icy and fro
zen and considerable attention must
be given the troughs or feeding uten-
sils.
For convenience the dry mash sys-
| tenn is probably best. Separate hop
! pers are often used for each kind of
| food, though the chicks must be edu-
Gated to this system from the start to
| insure best results. A mixture is
many times made of the different
foods and this placed in large hoppers
! for use, or as is a common custom
with many, the mash is fed at reg
ular period each day. Bran, mid
dlings, corn meal, ground oats or bar
| ley, alfalfa meal, and meat in some
form, MS green cut bone or CONNER
cial beef scrap, are among the most
common of these foods.
Hens learn to relish the dry ffods
and cannot gorge themselves when
eating, but gain certain amount OF
exercise and keep busy longer, which
in itself is an important factor ia egg
production.
A system of feeding which is prac-
ticed with much satisfaction is that
of feeding light grain ration, if any,
in the morning. A noon feed which
may be given between 1000 and ~: 90
a. m, consisting of mash OF equal
parts by weight of bran, middlings,
corn meal and beef scrap with little
charcoal added for toning the system.
and at night (about 800 p. IN. these
cold, dark, winter days. all the grain
mixture, corn (cracked or whole) and
wheat, that will be eaten. Birds sent
TO bed with full crops generally have
plenty of body warmth and nourish.
ment and get up ready for business,
There should always be on hand a
supply of green food such as cabbage,
beets, or sprouted oats. Clean, fresh
wafer should be supplied, and the
hoppers should contain grit and oyster
shell at all times.
The question Of wet or dry mash
may be determined greatly by the
feeder and his conditions, but either
should be done consistently.
| Good Hens IN Keen