The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1914-08-15

prepared by the United States Depart
ment OF Agricultural
The proper care Of hens during the
summer is not greatly different from
that OF the rest Of the year, but some
changes may be made in the ration
with good results, while careful sani-
tatiOn in poultry houses is very essen
dal- The growing rations for chickens
should be adapted to their age and q
fattening ration should be fed to the
cockerels which are to be sold either
as broilers or roasters- The quality
Of eggs deterioriates rapidly in hot
weather. which can be greatly lessened
by producing infertiIe eggs and by
using proper methods Of caring for and
marketing this product
Feeding Hens
4 good laying ration for summer use
may be made Of equal parts by weight
OF corn, wheat and oats, fed twice
daily, scattered on the ground or IN
the litter in the poultry house, with q
dry or wet mash made Of equal parts
OF corn meal, wheat bran, middlings
and beef scrap Regulate the feed so
that the hens eat about onehalf mash
and one-half scratch feed The vet
A4AdoA may DE leu O1AEE Ad--- c. oAg
time during the day, giving only what
the hens will eat up within a few min
utes- II dry mash is used II should
be kept before the hens all Of the time
| in q hopper.
The amount Of feed eaten by fowls
varies almost directly with the egg
I yield, so that it is very essential to re-
duce the amount during the summer
and fall months when the egg yield Is
small Hens of the general purpose
and meat breeds (such as Plymouth
/ Rocks or Brahmas) are apt to become
TOO fat during this non-productiYe
/ period. The lighter breeds, such as
| the Leghorns, may be fed more freely
I during the summer and fall. without
detrimental effects Hens mouIt for
several weeks during the late summer
/ and early fall and lay few IL any eggs
during that period They should be in
| good hard breeding condition during
moulting, and a small amount (ten per
cent? Of linseed meal may be added to
| the mash at this time with fair sue
cess, although good results in moult-
I ing are secured without using Hnseed
meal There does not appear to be any
real advantage in forcing the moult
/ by abnormal feeding methods, such as
/ are sometimes pTactised- Allowing the
/ birds free range and giving skim milk.
/ either to drink or added to their feed,
/ in addition TO a well balanced ration.
/ are good ways to assist nature during
| the moulting period
Feeding Chickens
After the chickens are ten days old
/ a growing mash composed Of two parts
/ by weight Of bran, two parts mid
/ dlings. one part corn meal, one part
/ low-grade wheat -four or red dog -four
| and ten per cent sifted beef scrap may
/ be fed either as q wet or dry mash As
soon as the chickens viii eat whole
wheat, cracked corn and other grains
| the small size chick feed can be
/ dropped from the ration Skim or but
/ termiIk is very good for chickens
/ either in the mash or given as drink
\ Growing chickens kept on good
range may be given all their feed IN
a hopper, mixing two parts By weight
! of cracked corn and one part OF wheat
/ or equal parts Of cracked corn, wheat
/ and hulIed oats In one hopper and the
/ dry mash in the other
/ Fine charcoal, grit and oyster shell
should be kept before them all OF tbs
time and green feed should be sup
piled If it is not available in theil