The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1914-12-18
cobb TELLS FOODS
TO MAKE HENS LAY
DURING COLD DAYS
Chickens Need -Four G" Ra.
ton of Grain, Greens.
Grubs and Grit to Produce
Eggs.
BY. A. D. COBB.

Recently a local produce buyer &C
to the union, because she refused to
lay eggs when conditions were not
satisfactory to her. The accusation
was perhaps more apt than he had in
tended 1t. Through the organized eff
forts Of his union the laboring man
protests against conditions that he
considers to be unjust, and If the con
ditions are not remedies. he becomes
a non-producer. In a similar manner
the hen ceases to be producer
whenever she is not provided with
satisfactory surroundings. and mater
ials for completing her work.
The all important function OF the
hen as we have developed her is to
lay eggs. The laying of eggs the year
around Is an abnormal function which
has been developed by selectiye
breeding. and to maintain this abnor,
NAL condition the demands Of the
hen for suitable feed must be met
That it pays to meet these conditions
is best illustrated by the fact that IT
costs from 40 to so cents to keeh hen
for one year, and with eggs selling at
40 cents a dozen during most Of De
cember. hen laying at this time OF
the year, will pay her board bill for
the year In from two to three weeks.
Demands Certain Foods.
To meet the requirements of the
hen, It iAust be remembered that she
needs food to maintain her body, and
to furnish the material for eggs which
she lays. The demands therefore are
for sufficient carbohydrates to fur
nish he..t and energy for her body. and
a large amount of protein material to
furnish the protein and albumen con
tents Of the eggs. In addition to this
there must be lime for the she'll. grit
'or her digestive apparatus and plenty
Of water. which composes about 90 pei
cent of the egg.
Professor Otis Crane. formerly poul
.ry instructor at Purdue university
and now county agent of Grant county
recommends what he calls the -Four
G" ration. This includes Grains
Greens, Grubs and Grit. These mater
ials meet the conditions which the hen
finds in the spring of the year, acco11
ing to Mr.. Crane, when she lays plen
ty OF eggs. He suggests that II the
same conditions are met in the winter
that the hen will lay eggs as literally
as III inc spring, IL Sic lS given SOOu
quarters.
Hens Need Exercise.
ration that meets these conditions
Is composed of equal parts by weight
Of wheat bran and middlings, and
about 25 pounds of dried beef soup
added to each 200 pounds of the above
and fed as a dry mash to be kept be-
fore the hens all the time. At night
whole grain should be scattered in the
litter. This gives the hen some exer
else before going to roost, and fur
nished food that digests slowly during
the night. This supplies the grains
and the grubs For the green's cabbage
heads, stock beets or other succulent
We. tables, have proved satisfactory
ana it is a good plan to hand them UP
20 that the hens will have to jump up
:. little to reach them. 1t is essential
that hens particularly of the heavy
types, take a good deal of exercise
The lighter breeds will take care OF
themselves.
The lime is probably best furnished
by keeping a good supply of oyster
shells before the birds all the time. In
addition to this some form of coarse
grit should be supplied to aid in diges.
ton of food.