Evening star., 1915-01-17
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to feeding in the morning at almost
any time within a couple of hours. OF
watering with similar disregard to
time, and of carrying on all the poul-
try yard work in the same manner.
MY friend suggested that fix def
mite time for the morning, noon and
afternoon feeding, watering, etc. and
adhere to that time. He insisted that I
would begin within a few weeks to no.
tice the results in an increased egg
yield.
Il adopted the suggestion. keeping
close record of results. Within
month the egg production of my flock
of about $50 hens and pullets had In
creased. going from 3S per cent to Al
per cent, and later to 4S per cent. This
according to day-by day records.
"In the late fall of that first year
circumstances arose that made it inn
possible for me to maintain the regular
schedule. this condition lasting for
five days. during which time the chick
ems were fed anywhere within couple
of hours either way of the proper time
The amount of feed remained the same,
as did the usual variety. But the hens
fell off in egg production. dropping 5
per cent in that week, and they re-
quired three weeks work to bring
them back to the point they had
reached before feeding and care be-
came irregular.
'Since then I have observed carefully
the results Of absolutely regular at
tention and Of care that was decidedly
irregular. I have checked punches of
ten or a dozen good layers against the
same number of equally good layers
one bunch attended to at regular in
tervals and the other fed exactly the
same amounts and the same kinds of
feed, but at irregular intervals, and in
variably the hens receiving regular
care gave the best results in egg pro-
duction. beating the irregularly cared
for hens by from to 10 per cent over
periods of as long as three months. .
my plan Is this: The first feed, Of
o'clock, and in the winter at 7:30
o'clock in the morning. At the same
time the hens are given fresh water;
in the winter the water is warmed. and
at all times the water vessels are
emptied and washed before being filled.
1 might add that the water always
contains permanganate of potash.
Even if the hens do not need it, it can
do no harm. while it's use is pretty
certain to keep them from needing it.
AT 1890 o'clock, summer and winter,
the dry mash hoppers are filled fresh.
At 1 o'clock the hens are given a ra-
tion of green stuff. either sprouted oats
or some kind of roots. which 1 grind
up In bone cutter. At the same time
little more hard grain is thrown into
on. Half an hour before it grows dark
enough for the hens to go to roost they
are fed all they will eat of a wet mash.
made from the dry mash mixture
moistened until it is crumbly, but not
really wet, with water-warm in the
winter-or with sour milk. buttermilk
or skim milk, If available. This last
feeding has to be regulated by the
darkness of the day and the time of
year; in summer it is later. and 1t
also varies in winter. according to
whether the day be bright or cloudy.
Then, the last thing at night, after
the hens are on the roosts, small
quantity of hard grain is thrown into
the litter and kicked in. SO that the
hens on coming Off the roosts in the
morning will have something to begin
work on at once. This gets them
warmed up from exercise and keeps
them from moping on the roosts
This is the very simple method by
which I get lots Of eggs, when my
neighbors, with more hens. that also
cost more to maintain. are not getting
nearly as many. Hens are funny crea-
lures; feed and attend to them on a
regular schedule and they will lay on
the same sort of schedule. But If you
are irregular in attending to them
they will be just as irregular in pay
ing you with eggs. Try it and see for
yourself"