Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-03
Poultry Yard Notes.

In buying grain for poultry feed II is
advisable to purchase the several kinds
separately, so that the hard grain ra-
ton may be mixed as conditions
weather, etc.-demand. The usual
grains, of course, are corn, wheat anu
oats. To these may he added kaffi:
corn, sunfiower seed, miliet, rye, barley,
letc., in small quantities. The use OF
these additional grains is to give va
riety to the hard grain ration, though
each of the grains mentioned has dis
tinct food value.
If the, ration of grain is bought al
ready mixed. as is usually the case, IL
lis hxed, and cannot be changed as
weather conditions warrant. Then, too.
the usual mixture is corn, either whole
or cracked, wheat and oats. While this
lis good, wholesome and well balanced
grain mixture, the frequent ADDITION OF
other grains give il variety and fowls.
las well as human beings, certainly DO
relish u change in foods at intervals.
When feeding a ready mixed ration
of corn, wheat and oats the poultryman
cannot add a larger amount of corn TO
the feed when the weather suddenly
turns cold, he cannot reduce the
quantity of corn if warm spell comes
along. Corn is the Matchmaking por-
ton of the mixture, and when the
likely at night. extra corn in the even
ing grain feed is desirable
If the grain ration is mixed and con-
tains corn for cold weather feeding, the
fowls will get too much of it If the
weather becomes warm, the result be
ing that they will fatten rapidly. Hens
that are too fat are as poor layers as
those that are not in good condition.
BY purchasing the grains separately
the ration can be mixed to suit weather
conditions, and. the beneficial results
will more than offset the little addi-
tional work.
A Connecticut poultryinan recently
gave a feeding schedule which he said
was in use in his plant. The schedule
called for feeding five pounds Of corn.
wheat and oats, in equal proportions, 10
each twenty fowls-that is, quarter OF
a pound of mixed grain per fowl at the
right for Connecticut. but if poultrymen
in this vicinity were to feed this way
they would soon have a lot OF hog-fat
hens that wouldn't lay eggs enough Ia
pay for their house room, to say nothing
of their feed. From an ounce and L
half to two ounces per fowl. depending
on the breed of fowls. is sufficient hard
grain for the night feed in the vicinity 81
Washington. For Leghorns and the
smaller breeds an ounce and a half OF
mixed grain should be ample for the
night feed, while the Rocks and heavy
breeds will require the larger quantity.
Sentiment all over the United States
Is crystallizing rapidly in favor or
giving more attention to actual utilfty
and less to feathers and form>in breed
ing poultry. There will always be
those who pay more attention to plum
age than to egg production or weight
of meat, but the practical poultrymen
are gradually compelling more and
more attention to the things for which
poultry is actually bred-that is. for
egg production and for table purposes.
Several of the. big shows last season
had utility classes, in which egg rec
ords, weight Of carcass, etc, were the
tests of fitness, rather than exquisite
plumase and perfect show form, and
indications are that this season Will
see more of the shows following In
the same path.