Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1913-09-12
WHAT DO YOU FEED
YOUR LAYING HENS ?
Lime a Prime Requisite-Green
Food Needed for Winter-A
Wet Mash Is Also Good.

What AID how to feed laying hen
is a question most every poultry mar
runs into, but it comes nearer solution
when it is remembered that the food
requirements OF laying hen are yer!
like those required by CROWNS
chicken The production of eggs re
quir,s material similar to that requr-
ed to produce flesh. One addition to
the list is, however, required for egg
production which is lime, Of which
The shell of the egg is formed. In the
summer time hens on the range will
End sufficient lime to supply their
needs Yardcd or shut-in chickens
should be supplied with more lime
than the food contains. Crushed oy-
ster shell is now sold for this purpose
and answers the purpose admirably
A supply of green food is one of the
requisites of successful winter feed
ing. Vegetables and refuse from the
kitchen help out in this matter, but
seldom furnish a sufficient supply of
this kind. Vegetables are sometimes
especially grown for this purpose.
Mangcls and sugar beets are excellent
Cabbage, potatoes and turnips answer
the purpose fairly we'll. Mangels are
fed by splitting halves and sticking to
no l., Jri,- in, bn ura11 C1nunr nd
alfalfa are excellent chicken feeds and
should be more extensively used by
farmers in winter feeding. The leaves
that shatter off in the NOW are the
choicest portion for chicken feeding,
and are best fed by scaldng with hot
water and mixing in a mash.
Where a mash is fed corn meal,
shorts and bran, because least eXpen-
sive, should form the bulk of the
mash. Other meals that can be added
in similar amounts are linseed meal,
pea meal, soy bean and Gotten seed
meal. Buttermlk fed to the hens
makes a source of profit to the poultry
man.
There is a knack in feeding hens
that must be learned by experience.
The hens must be well fed and yet
should always be little hungry. Dur
ing the day they are not to be at any
time satisfied, but in the evening they
may be fed all they will clean up in
half an hour.
1t is long established custom with
poultry men to feed hens wet mash
once day. This may be fed in the
morning or in the evening, according
to convenience. Evening feeding is
preferred by most people. Where meat
and green food are well provided the
mash can be dropped out of the bill of
fare entirely and it's place supplied by
a greater variety of grain food.
The method of feeding grain usually
suggested for winter practice is to
feed in straw or other litter. A place
to scratch not only provides the much
needed exercise, but keeps the hens
contented, warm and healthy. The
finer the grain, the more often the
feeding and the deeper the litter the
greater the exercise the hen must
take in finding her daily allowance of
food.
Large breeds and old hens must be
forced to exercise more vigorously
than smaller hens or pullets. Examine
the hens, and if they are excessively
fat enforce more exercise. Leghorns
are by nature active and restless and
will take plenty of exercise If given
half chance. Comfort and freedom
from disturbance of any sort are es-
sential to the best results with laying
hens