The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1915-12-25
FEEDING POULTRY
BREEDING STOCK
By G.. E. CONKEY.


Improper feeding of breeding birds
is often responsible for their inability
to produce a sufficient number of
Matching eggs or enough fertile eggs
possessing the vitality necessary for
the production of strong, vigorous
chicks.
Such loss and work. could to a
great extent be very easily overcome.
for it is not at all difficult to feed
breeding birds properly. What they
need is to be fed first for condition
to be fed for gain in strength and
vitality, so that when Matching eggs
are needed they will be able to produce
a maximum number of large. even
sized. fertile eggs of strong vitality.
To secure these results the method of
feeding is perhaps more important
than the food. + or the latter, good
laying rations cannot be improved
upon.
The feeding for condition should be-
gin WIN the selection OF the breeding
unds, winch should take place about
the midule of December. during the
latter part OF DecelADer and the early
part OIL January no attempt should be
maze to get eggs. The Dlrds should
be ted enough 10 keep their strength
ana vlgor on the increase, but not
enough to supply them with very
mucn of a surplus of nutriment.
Good conditions will come to breed
ing birds more quickly If their meals
are varied so as to include a number
OF nourishing foods, such as gram
ration, mash and green stuff
An excellent grain ration can be
made for them by mixing equal parts
of cracked corn. oats ana wheat. This
should be fed III a deep litter, so that
the birds Will have to scratch it out
grain by grain and thereby get the
exercise that is so necessary to their
good health.
Any breeding flock will relish and
be benefited by a mash made by thor
oughly mixing:
bO lbs. Cornmeal.
90 lbs. Wheat Mlddlings.
80 lbs. Wheat Bran
10 lbs. Alfalfa Meal.
10 lbs. Oil Meal.
so lbs. Beef Scraps
l ID. Salt.
Such mash should be fed dry and
placed before the birds for several
hours through the middle of the day.
One of the most important factors
in any mash for breeding birds is beef
scraps. They contain high percent
age of protein which not only helps to
put the birds in good condition, but
enables them to impart strong vitality
to the Matching eggs.
Green material for breeding birds
may consist of the stuff that can be
obtained or prepared most easily, such
as sprouted oats, sliced cabbage,
beets, mangels or small potatoes.
This method of feeding will put
breeding birds in splendid condition
by the time eggs are desired for
Matching and they can then be given Il
bountiful supply of the different kinds
of food, so as to furnish them with
the large surplus of nutriment neces-
sary for the production of sufficient
number of Matching eggs. Their grain
ration and surply of green food
should be increased to as large
quantity as they will clean up and the
mash can be left before them all the
time.
If liberal supply of either butter
milk or skim milk can also be fed
regularly, it will prove very helpful.
Each of these is rich in protein and
will therefore make it possible to de-
crease the amount of beef scraps in
the mash about one-half.
In addition to the regular foods,
plenty of grit, shell and charcoal
should be supplied, as each of these IS
of some benefit to the breeding hen
and will make it easier for her to pro
duce a goody supply of desirable
Matching eggs. The ground oyster
shell is especially important, as it is
absolutely necessary to the produc-
ton of hard shelled eggs. Hard she'll
ed Matching eggs are much more TO
be desired than thin or medium thick
shelled ones, as they are not so likely
to get cracked or broken during incu-
baton; do not get chilled as easily;
and their contents are kept from
evaporating too rapidly.
There is no element OF "luck" in
the feeding of breeding birds. Results
"a maximum number of healthy. Wig
orous chicks-are sure to come to any
poultry owner who realizes that breed
ing birds must be got into tip-top
condition before they can produce the
right kind of Matching eggs and then
uses good JUDGMENT in feeding to OBJ
tain such condition.
Catarrh Cannot Be Cured.
with LOCAL APPLICATIONS as they cannot