Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1915-12-15
P L r Y
CONSULTING DEPARTMENT
Feeding for Egg Production


approaches the problem of making
the hens lay becomes a more difficult
one. As this is a general difficulty,
the high price Of eggs indicating that
hut few hens are laying, it is evident
that all poultrymen are wrestling
with the same trouble. Here, then, is
great opportunity for the man who
will give his birds the right sort of
treatment. High prices, and few
seemingly able to make their hens lay
in winter. OF course, it must be adj
mitte0 that heridity has something to
do with winter production, also, if the
flock is composed of pullets, the chicks
must have been Matched at about the
right time. Even with these con,ii-
tions met there must be intelligent
feeding and treatment if we would get
eggs,
One year ago the writer purchased
q flock of hens the first of December,
amotlcy- appearing lot, half-moulted,
and varying in age from one to five
years 81 never get any eggs in the
winter" said the owner, $50 l might
as we'll sell out" We purchased them
cheap with the idea of fattening for
market, but what was our surprise to
find almost all of them laying after
three or four weeks, and we were
simply trying to get them into condi-
ton that we might pick out few for
breeders, as they were pure-bred stock
Of various kinds 1t is true that we
gave them good quarters, something
they had not been accustomed to, and
ration calculated to help them finish
the moult and get into laying condi-
ton. Out of sixty birds we killed
/ IL Lot chn
this was a flock that "had never laid
| in the winter"
There are a few common-sense
things to be borne in mind when feed
! ing for egg production. A good hen
will lay four or five times her weight
! in eggs. The smaller breeds will beat
this during the year. 1t takes quite a
machine to stand such a strain. This
should teach one that what the hen
needs is something to help her make
these eggs. Three kinds of constitu-
ents enter in to the egg in relatively
! large quantities. These are mineral
matter, heterogeneous matter and carbo-
hydrates, all of which are present in
corn and other grains. This does not
prove, however, that grains are all
the hen needs, but it does prove that
she must have what she needs of the
cereals. Experimenters have given us
several combinations of these grains
that are calculated to produce eggs. In
our own experience we have found
that the principle thing to avoid is
/ the feeding of too much corn, as 1T is
more fattening than other grains. Ev-
en- then the Rhode Island Red will
stand more corn than the Plymouth
! Rock. Corn is usually the most album
4 dant grain on the farm and there is
often a temptation to feed it to the
! hens when oats and wheat would be
/ better. The best way to feed the
/ grains is to make up combination 70
] serve as scratch feed and another to
serve as dry mash. In this way there
! is no possibility Of feeding the birds
/ too largely of one.
The poultryman should learn his
most valuable lesson from nature.
Hens lay in the spring, and on the
farm-when the birds are allowed to
roam at WILT is an easy matter to
get eggs all through the summer sea-
son. The reason for this is not far to
seek. They get an abundant supply
of green material and animal food In
the shape of insects and worms. Here,
then. we find two other classes Of ma
terial that are necessary to egg pro-
duction. The needed animal food can
best be supplied in the form of fresh
beef scrap mixed with the dry mash
during the winter. The green mater
ial must not be forgotten. To the
writer it seems the most important
consideration. We never knew hen
to lay many eggs without it. Various
materials and ways of supplying green
! feed have been described in this col
umn. Ii matters little what it is but
it is important that there be enough
of it.
One other factor enters into winter
egg production. The spring and sum-
mer laying hen is an active one. She
must be active in the winter as well.
We like to get the hens off the roost
at the first peep of dawn. This is
done by scattering the scratch feed
after they go to roost. Then we scat
ter only small quantity at time.
The birds must be made to work for
their living. The lazy hen is always
a drone. Better serve her up in fri
cassee. To sum up: take note of the
spring ration of the hen and feed her
as nearly as possible in the same way,
Her husband laid down his paper
and smiled benignly. 81 did that" he
said, calmly. Then, in answer to a
questioning look, he went on: "You
Strengthened up my desk so beautiful
ly the other day that l thought It on
ly fair to return the compliment. So
/ Strengthened up your sewing-room.
A boy reaches far across the table
and helps himself to butter.
Father-What did you do that for
Haven't you tongue?
Son-Yes,. sir, but my tongue isn't
as long as my arm.-Congregational-
list.