The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1914-12-31
CBy KATHARINE ATHERToN
GRIMESD

GRIMESD
The hen has three reasons for eat
ing: to repair the tissues OF her body,
to keep herself warm, and to make
eggs. 1t therefore follows that her
diet must be varied and plentiful.
II We open the crop of hen that
has been allowed to eat what she
pleased, we shall find that she has
provided herself with three kinds of
food-grain. green stun and meat.
The last named is usually in the form
of bugs and worms,
We must, then. furnish our hens
with food of these three classes.
Moreover, the quantity must be about
right OF each II they are not given
enough they will have to use It all
for bodybuilding and heat.production
and will have nothing left over to
make eggs with. II we feed too much
OF some kinds the surplus will go to
fat, and the hens will get too lazy to
lay.
It takes considerable studying and
experimenting to find out just what
the hens need, and how much they
ought to have, but we must learn as
soon as we can, or we will find our
poultry Is not so profitable as II ought
to be. The feeding question is one
of the most important in the whole
poultry business
Experts tell us that a hen needs
about six ounces of food per day. A
flock of ten, then, will need about
three and three-fourths pounds per
day. or trihe over twenty.six pounds
a week.
OF this amount. two-thirds by
weight should consist of grains. The
grain should be a mixture of equal
parts wheat. cracked corn and oats.
A few handfuls of sunflower seed,
cane seed or buckwheat should be
added for variety. They are to the
hen what pie is to the boy, and you
know what that is.
The other third should be mash.
which is a mixture of bran and other
finely ground feeds, usually fed dry.
Some poultrymen moisten the mash,
but the majority claim that It is bet
ter TO feed II dry and let the hen
moisten II in her crop by drinking
what water she wants. II fed dry
there is less danger from certain
kinds OF disease.
A good formula for a mash is as
follows: One-half bushel of bran, four
quarts OF alfalfa meal, two quarts
each OF ground oats and cornmeal,
one tablespoonful salt and one tea
spoonful OF pepper.
This furnishes both meat and green
food In about the right quantities.
Where these elements are given in
other ways the alfalfa meal and beef
scraps may be omitted from the mash.
These ingredients should be thor
oughly mixed together and the mash
kept where the hens can get 1t at
any time they may want It, II is a
bulky food. but not a fattening one,
so there is no danger OF their eating
too much. The bran is one OF the
best condition powders" poultry can
have. II keeps the system vigorous
ard healthy, and furnishes large
part of the egg.making elements.
A good way to give green food for
change is to hang a head Of cab
bage by a string so the fowls can
just reach Il. The exercise is good
for them, and they will thoroughly
enjoy the feast Or large beet, car
rot or turnip may be stuck on a nail
driven about foot from the ground,
for them to pick. Such food should
never be thrown down in the dirt
The grain food should always be
thrown into deep litter of straw or
chaff, where the birds will have ito
scratch for a living" II you have
ever watched an old hen digging
about the yard, you will know that It
is as natural for her to dig as 1t is
to breathe, and that she needs that
kind of exercise,
You know, OF course that corn is a
fat-making food. On that account
less should be given In the summer
than in the winter as then there is
not so much need OF n layer OF fat
to keep the body warm. Through
the warm season II may be left out OF
the mash entirely. Some do not feed
corn at all in the summer, but that
Is a mistake as II the hen gets too
thin, she will stop laying.
Now, as to the time OF feeding
Early in the morning a light feed Of
yrain should be scattered in the litter
On the floor Of the coop, The hens
get of the roost hungry, and should
Ind something ready for them.
some scatter the grain in the straw
after the fowls have gone to roost