Milford chronicle., 1916-10-06

Every person who has ever raised chickens
either on a small or large scale; Knows Iel We
| that they produce more abundantly during tn
| ! spring or summer months than during the Wintei
season They also know that eggs laid during th'
early months Of the year are. ae rule, larger anc
finer in appearance than those Of winter; This i
due almost entirely 70 the fact that the prus Be
greater supply Of natural food in the spring ano
summer than is possible for them 70 PICK W ~ Hhel
That part of the hens rations picked up from
mother earth Is generally referred to as living
food and without Il. it is almost impossible for
the birds TO yield any quantity OF eggs IL consls
Of insects. worms and grasses OF every DESCRIPTION
and they contain bOuntiful supply OF the most
beneficial protein that goes to make up the al
bumen Of which the egg is largely composed
With this food supply cut of i is most natural
to reason that the egg yield will be greatly dimin-
ishtd; and thus the big production in the number
Of eggs laid during the winter season. lhis oeing
the natural course Of events. one naturally looks
for falling off Of the egg yield during the cold
months Of winter, but the poor showing OF the
hens during this period is largely due to one 8
methods
have the same percentage Of egg yield during the
winter as is possible during the spring. but 90
say that the winter yield can be greatly inereasea
over what is the case with large majority Oh the
breeders, and particularly the smaller ones Inc
only way possible to increase the yield during the
winter is by the supply OF proper toods 70 the
/ birds during this period. .
to the hens should be a near to that furnished by
nature season as Is possible 70 get Ah1
ter season, bear in mind. is one when eggs are at
paemium, that is. the fresh product. And in or
der to obtain full or nearly full egg production i
| is necessary hat the hen should be supplied with
sufficient food to sustain her system
Don't think because you give the birds plenty to
eat during the winter season that eggs should
come In addition to a liberal supply, remember
that it must be properly assimilated and turned
into the various portions constituting the egg, or
else It will do no good.
Experience with poultry has taught that the
best possible food TO provide for all the needs Of
the hen is a balanced ration. This does not mean,
however. to supply them with all kinds and classes
Of grain without regard to what they contain. but
il means the supplying of foods that contain pro-
tein carbohydrates and other necessary materials
to fill every want and desire OF the fowls
Different breeders have different methods of
feeding and many of them vary greatly as to Just 4
what the food should consist of during the spring
well as winter months.
do not propose to argue as to the merits OF the |
many methods followed. but will endeavor to give /
the result of my experience. method which has
given good results
be an excellent one may be had by mixing wheat.
cracked corn hulled oats. barley miet buck
wheat and sunflower seed. Hued oats and wheat
should form the larger part Of the mixture using
about two parts of each to each OF barley corn
and millet and one half part each Of the buck
wheat and sunhower seed. Huled oats are rather
high in price. but worth many times more
than the unhulled product, and II possible, would
advise that they be used
This mixture should be fed twice day, morning
and night. in a good light litter. wheat straw is
the best thus furnishing the hens exercise so nee
essary to their health and happiness. weather
conditions should always. more or less govern the
feeding Of poultry. If the weather is extremely
cold it is best to add little extra corn to the ra-
tion at the evening meal in order to furnish more
heat for the body while the birds are roostng,
There are many persons who include rye in their
grain ration but this should never be used. In the
first place il is not good for the hens and again.
theyado not like it-so therefore they should not
be forced to eat it.
Any good grain ration is beneficial to the birds
# properly proportoned so as to contain the nee
essary elements that go to make up the egg but ,
the one given above has been tried and found to be
good. thus ! take the liberty in presenting 1t to
you. - /
But this is not all. It is necessary to go little
further in supplying food in order to insure eg gg
production. especially during the winteo months.
Time is an important factor in poultry feeding,