Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-02-27
pOOlTRySnCWS
To KEEP FOWLS IN
GOOD SHAPE GREEN
FOOD IS ESSENTIAL
Difficult Problem to Supply
1t Whole Year Round
Wise Poultry Raiser, How-
euer, Will See That Poul-
try Get Succulent Diet
Poultry Editor, Philadelphia Inquirer.
COPYRIGHT, 1915.
BY DIR. Thomas j. Clemens


range, but when confined to yards, it
is impossible.
Methods have been adopted TO sup
ply green's by planting quick growing
plants and protecting them from de-
struction by the poultry. Ways of do
inng this are outlined in the following
article, i'm which are also described
means of supplying greens during the
winter months.
A problem confronting all poultry
men is the supply of green food neces-
sary to keep the fowls in proper con-
dition. The problem is as important
to those who have hundreds of acres
as it is to the small backyard poul-
tryman. 1t is absolutely essential
that the fowls be provided with this
food if the best results are to be OBJ
tanned.
Green food. as applied to poultry
feeding. refers to practically all sue
culent plants, vegetables, grass, weeds
and roots. the tender green shoots be-
ing those most eagerly sought by the
fowls.
When fowls are allowed free range
they consume large quantities of green
food; in fact, it forms the larger por
tion of their diet Besides comprising
a large portion of their diet, in nu-
tritive sense, green foods add the
needful bulk necessary to assist in di
gesting the more concentrated feeds
of grain. They also act as a tonic to
the fowls.
All green foods contain large per-
centage of water, which makes them
easily split into an assimilative form
by the digestive organs Dry grass
clippings tall weeds and maturing
hay crops contain less water and more
nbrous matter. which makes this form
of green food unpalatable and less de-
sirable.
Where the fowls are running on
free range, it is necessary to provide
green food for a short period during
the summer months. when the hot
sun and continued dry weather cause
the grass to become parched and
wither other available vegetable mat
ter.
1t has been found that the feeding
of sprouted oats is comparatively
easy method of supplying the neces-
sary green food. Sprouted oats are
very palatable, highly nutritious and
may be fed in various stages of ger
mination. There are various methods
of providing this form of green food,
either in large or small quantities.
How to Plant Oats
Where there is access to enough
land a strip should be selected near
the poultry houses and plowed to the
depth of about seven inches. over
which the oats should be sown broad
cast and narrowed in.
This will cover the oats to a suf-
ficient depth for sprouting. After a
few days the fowls may be turned on
the patch and allowed to scratch for
their food. 1t is necessary to renew
the patch by resolving at least twice a
week. The fowls will find their feed
in all stages of termination, but even
the oats, which are only sprouted to
the length of one-half inch. will pro-
vide a nutritious green diet. BY the
continuous narrowing there will be a
soil mulch formed which will insure
enough moisture to keep the oats
sprouting. This method may be fol-
lowed all season while it is possible
for the fowls to be on the ground.
Another source of green food is to
SOW a strip of land to corn and cut it
while very young and tender, but as
this must be passed through a cutter
before it is available 1t is usually con-
sidered too troublesome.
a plan that gave excellent satisfac-
ton on one of the large poultry plants
during the past season was the sprout-
ground. a space about ten feet square
was used and the oats were sown. A
board frame was arranged around the
space and covered with the wire net
ting. The attendant kept the soil wa
tered freely, and when the sprouts
were about three or four inches long
he plucked them by hand. after the
manner of plucking geese feathers,
and fed them to the fowls. The same
seed often sent out another sprout.
and those which did not germinate
until later gave good second crop.
Green Food For Yarled Fowls
1t is altogether different problem
to keep Sarded fowls supplied with
green food, especially where they are
confined to small runs and no special
attendant is employed. 1t is not only
a matter of convenience. but a ques-
ton of expense and responsibility to
provide green food for the entire year.
Wherever possible the double yard
ing plan should be followed. allowing
the fowls to run in one part while the
other is under cultivation.
BY the cultivation method the con-
taminated soil will be in excellent con-
diton to raise large crops OF table
and undergo a process of
publication which is so essential to
success. Many disastrous failures re-
sui from a disease pOlluleu poultry
run where the same land has been
used for several years without cult
waiting or changing the SOIL. 1t is we'll
known that soil becomes infested with
disease germs which are fatal to the
fowls, and often it is impossible to
raise chicks at all.
Where the yard is long and too mar
row to divide lengthwise, il is only
necessary to provide a narrow alley to
allow the fowls to pass from the up
per to the lower division.
The best time to make the change
to the double yarded system is in the
Fall of the year, but those who have
not started the work will still have
time to catch up If they start at once
with their plans
The partitions should be made per-
manent and substantial, using posts at
least six feet high and covered with
poultry netting. Where the fowls are
inclined to fly over the fence a strip
about foot long may be nailed to the
top of the posts at an angle of about
forty-five degrees and pointing toward
the run. This is covered with a strip
of poultry netting one foot wide. or
two or three strands of light wire may
be used This is usually an effective
barrier.
The land in the yard to be cuItI-
waited should receive a generous coat