Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1916-12-20


cabbage for green foods. Fresh water
always available.
METHOD OF FEEDING.
In the morning (about one-half
hour after daylight give very light
feed of the whole grain ration in
deep litter so as to induce work by
the hens. Now, what constitutes a
light feed? Well, I don't know ex-
actly how to tell you inasmuch as I
find it is best to, and one gets best
results when he learns to, feed by
eyesight rather than by measure.
Why? Well, you can tell when hen
watching them much more accurately
than can a grain pail do it. How
ever, as help, might add that 100
hens should not get over pints of
scratch feed in this feeding, usually
three pints of feed in deep litter will
be found sufficient to keep them
working all the morning. That is
half the secret of successful feeding
and of getting eggs. keep the hens
working from morning till night"
for working hen is happy hen
and happy, healthy, contented hen
is the laying hen.
About noon go to the henhouse and
open up the mash-feed hopper, allow
ing the hens to have all they want of
it during the afternoon. This being
dry, is quite hard to swallow, conse-
quently the hens seldom overeat of it
during the time it is before them
However, should their bowels become
too loose and the droppings watery, it
is well to lessen the time of feeding
of the mash. This is a very heavy
concentrated mixture, and should a
hen overeat of it, it will throw her
entirely off her feed in a very short
time, and while primarily an egg
forming food, no eggs will be the re-
suit. So wisdom and discretion must
be used in feeding this mash.
At night we go out and feed the
hens a good liberal feeding of the
scratch grains again. We feed so
that every hen upon going to roost
has her crop full, and in order to be
sure that every hen has her crop full
we make. a careful inspection Of the
litter afterward. If there are not
any kernels of grain to be found, we
know that we did not feed quite
enough, and the next feeding the fol
lowing night must be heavier; on the
other hand should we find lots of
grain left we know we have fed too
much and not as much should be fed
the next night. The right amount is
told when there are only few ker-
nels here and there in the litter,
When such is the case we are quite
positive that each hen has had
enough, likewise, the few remaining
kernels offer the hens chance to ap-
pease their hunger early in the morn.
ing before getting their morning
feeding.
Now as to the proportion Of
scratch food fed to the dry mash. We
endeavor to use about one and one.
of mash. When fed in this proper
ton the ration is so balanced thai
hens can be fed upon this feed anc
not go off their feed. Again, whe1
the hens are fed in this ratio, they
can produce an egg daily as far a:
the protein and the fat-forming part.
of the food is concerned
However, should you feed just Thu
mixture alone, don't expect to ge
many eggs. Why? Because tn,
= amount of digestible ash available t,
the hens for the making of egg shell
is far too small. Thus really it i
the formation of the shell materia
which limits liberal egg production
rather than the fat and the protein
parts of the food.
We have added, you will notice
oyster shells in the proportion of a.
they want. These oyster shells ar
largely a lime salt which is availabl
Immediately for the hens use. So b
sure to supply liberal amount of oy
ster shells if you desire good produt
ton.
Grit is also added. It is very ne,
essary because it helps to grind til
food quicker, putting it in such
condition that it is more quickly ar
easily assimilated. This easier ar
quicker assimilation means mol
eggs; just the thing we are feedir
for, so be sure to add grit. Crushe
or ground rock, gravel or coal ash
available, are the usual sources. OR
is always very cheap and everyol
can well afford to feed it.
Water is absolutely essentis