The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-05
Proper Feeding Methods Are Necessary to Produc- tiveness of Flock-Exer- else Essential
Abundance of Good Air With Clean, Dry Houses, Will Minimize Sickness
By REESE V. HICKS Former President of the American Poultry Association

Presuming that the birds are in good health, we'll matured and ready to be- gin laying in November or December and that they are housed in dry. sani- tary quarters, there are certain points of vital importance that must receive careful attention. In this article Mir. Hicks discusses in detail the prime es- sentials to good egg production during cold weather.
 When it is decided to start the flock laying. a richer feed should be used than is advisable after they arc we'll started. More beef scrap can be used and gluten meal in larger quantities than in later months. A small amount of green cut bone is useful, provided 1t can be obtained at a reasonable price. It should not be over f cents a pound ready cut It will not pay to feed 1t largely at even cents, but can be used as a stimulator. Some use mus tards and peppers, but as a rule these are not advisable because they tend to overstimulate and are believed by many to injure the usefulness of the fowl in later months.
 After the hens are laying we'll the ration and its proportions are not of so much importance. They must be given careful attention. however, for the first few weeks that the hens are beginning the heavy egg yield. As the feeds that are rich in protein, like beef scrap and green bone, are usually the costly ones, these should be re- duced gradually and the cheaper feeds containing less protein substituted. An nf fnr hf1 ss, thaf fhN weather gets colder the laying hens or bullets will need more carbonaceous feeds, such as corn and corn meal.
 COMPEL EXERCISE
 The grain feed and mash feed should be given in about equal parts. The mash should be fed largely in the lit- ter so as to compel exercise. The grain feed at the start should be one-half wheat, one-fourth oats, and one-fourth cracked corn. The corn should be cracked medium fine and sifted so as to save the fine grains and corn meal.
 After the flock Is laying an average production of around 20 per cent, the amount of wheat should be reduced and the proportion made one-third each of wheat, cracked corn and oats. To this may be added one-half a part of barley if 1t can be bought cheaper per pound than wheat or oats. It Is hardly as good feed for egg production as wheat and is not quite as good as oats, but it furnishes variety. One-half a part of buckwheat may also be added if 1t can be bought at little more than corn as it compares in food value with corn and should be used for its heat creating properties.
 These changes must be made grad ually, decreasing the wheat little at a time and increasing the substitutes in the same proportion. It is not ad- visable to feed even the coarsest beef scrap in the grain feed, as too large a portion of 1t is liable to be lost in the litter and it absorbs dirt and filth worse than the grains. This grain feed Is sometimes termed the scratch feed" because 1t is fed in the litter to make the hens scratch.
 When the hens are laying full and the weather Is cold, feed of entire cracked corn should be given just be- fore night Give them all they will eat. and if a little is left for the first morning feed. so much the better.
 CHANGE FEED GRADUALLY
 The mash at first should be rich fin protein and this gradually decreased and cheaper feeds-those not so rich in protein-substituted in the manner kpointed out for the grain feed. The first mash may be as follows: 100 pounds corn meal. 100 pounds good flour middlings, 100 pounds winter wheat bran, 100 pounds beef scrap, 100 pounds alfalfa or clover meal, 100 pounds gluten meal, 100 pounds ground oats. A little fine charcoal and a pound of salt should be added to each 800 pounds.
 Wet mash should be fed once a day. preferably about 10 to Il o'clock. Good results can be obtained by feeding in open hoppers where it is in reach of the birds all the time. In real cold