Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-12-11

gOO0 neaIIny well Datufeu anu ready
to begin laying in November or De-
cember and that they are housed in
dry, sanitary quarters, there are GER
tain points of vital importance that
must receive careful attention. In
this article Mr.. Hicks discusses in de-
tail the prime essentials TO good egg
production during cold weather.
VTTHEN it is decided to start the
wv flock laying richer feed
w should be used than is adVis-
able after they are 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 it can be OBJ
tanned at a reasonable price. 1t should
not be over four cents pound ready
cut 1t will not pay to feed 1t largely
at even three cents, but can be used
as a stimulator. Some use mustards
and peppers, but as n 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 well, 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.
Another reason for this is that as the
weather gets colder the laying hens
or pullets will need more carbona-
ceous 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 litter 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 it can be bought cheaper
per pound than wheat or oats. 1t is
hardly as good feed for egg produc-
tion as wheat and is not quite as good
as oats, but it furnishes q variety.
One-half a part of buckwheat may
also be added if it can be bought at a
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 gradu-
ally, decreasing the wheat q little at a
time and increasing the substitutes in
the same proportion. 1t is not advis-
able to feed even the coarsest beef
scrap in the grain feed, as too large
a portion of il 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 it is fed in the litter to
make the hens scratch.
When the hens are laying full and
the weather is cold, a 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 in
protein and this gradually decreased
and cheaper feeds--those not so rich
In protein--sub bstituted in the manner
pointed out for the grain feed. The
first mash may be as follows: 100 lbs.
cornmeal, 100 lbs good flour mid
dlings. 100 lbs. winter wheat bran.
100 lbs. beef scrap, 100 lbs. alfalfa or
clover meal, 100 lbs. gluten meal. 100
lbs ground oats. a little fine charcoal
and a pound of salt should be added
to each five hundred pounds.
Wet mash should be fed once a day,
preferably about ten to eleven o'clock.
Good results can be obtained by feed