Milford chronicle., 1916-08-04

minds of many poultrymen, ana Win
many it is yet unsOlved. Indeed this
question is one which relates to the
poultry industry at all seasons OF the
year, but as eggs are scarcer during the
colder months than at other times. 1t
seems that this question IS almost en-
tirely applied to that period.
Most hens will lay, and fairly well at
that, during the spring and early sum
mer, without any special effort being
made on the part of the breeder to pro
duce this condition. The fall and WIN
ter months, however, are the ones set
aside by nature as the rest period and
for the purpose of the fowl building up
and getting into condition for the next
laying season.
Bv virtue of natures rest being pro-
vided at this particular season of the
year it lust as naturally follows that
they produce, but lightly, and thus the
scarcity of eggs and the great increase
in price.
Owing to the fact that hens produce
lightly during the early fall and winter,
with the resultant high price Of eggs,
it is but reasonable that poultrymen
should endeavOr to solve the problem OF
egg production with the view to obtain
a fair yield at this time.
With this idea in mind there have
been many experiments tried, IN the
hope of finding something that would
bring about the desired results. 1t has
been found that in order to produce eggs
one must supply his fowls with foods as
nearly like those of nature as it is pos
sible to do. In the spring and summer
months the fowls are able to get large
portion of their ratiOns from the ground,
as provided for by nature, and as this
is also the greatest egg producing period
it naturally follows that what the hen
really needs in order to produce eggs is
food similar TO that taken from the
earth.
The greatest proportion of food picked
up from the ground by the birds is
green food, and pOultrymen who have
made study of the industry in their
efforts to solve the egg problem have
come to the conclusion that the proper
kind of green food supplied to the fowls
will better accomplish the goal for
which they have set out, provided. Of
course, the birds be given sufficient
quantity of other necessary foods.
The one important fact that has been
definitely learned, however, is that
green food stimulates egg production
and this fact must not be lost sight of.
The question of feeding is, of course,
very important matter, and was taken
up in our last article. While it is pos
sible that hens will lay without green
food, yet they will not shell out the eggs
in the same proportion as when, in ad-
dition to their other and properly pro-
portioned food, they are given this.
The question of green food is largely
matter of taste and is often deter
mined by the way one is situated. Farm
ers can probably feed cabbage or man
gels with less expense than any other
article. Where a person is forced to
purchase all of their foods, however, il
will be found far less expensive, and |
believe more profitable, to feed sprouted
oats. Oats are cheap, and by reason Of
their swelling, will go farther than any
other form of food.
For the average pOultryman, how
ever, and in fact all save farmers, it is
practically out of the question to pur-
chase green food during the cold winter
months at a price that would in any way
justify their feeding. If one is COM
PEELED to buy a sufficient green food to
insure a good egg production, the plant
would necessarily be operated at loss.
Sprouted oats, nevertheless, can be
supplied at a comparatively low cost,
and takes the place of all other forms
of green foods, and besides, is classed
as one of the very best egg-producing
foods known to poultrydom.
Most people are leary of sprouted
oats. not because they don't believe in
their superiority as an g-producing
food, but simply because they are of
the opinion that to sprOut oats one must
be bothered with a commercial sprOuter,
a lamp (which makes them dangerous
articles to have about the place. and
other contrivances. Many of the oat
sprouters now on the market are very
good, but then some are dangerous, and
as / would never allow one on my place,
/ therefore would not recommend it for
others.
However, one may build his own
sprouter without lamp-it will give en-
tire satisfaction, and at the same time
be perfectly harmless.
A good oat sprouter may be made
without expense from pieces of offal
lumber, and that will answer your every
purpose. Construct a frame to accom-
mOdate eight trays, which may be slid
INTO it on pieces Of batting. Now make
eight trays Of a size to fit the frame,
and about two inches deep, the bottom
covered with copper wire or galvanized |
wire Of very fine mesh, or you may use
umber for the purpose, in which event, |
pore numerous small holes in it to per-
nit some of the water to run off.
Soak oats over night in an old keg or
bail, sufficient to fill one tray. In the |
take the swelled oats and |
Ipread in the tray to the depth of from
me inch to an inch-and-a-half. Sprinkle
veil with water, after which place
)iece.of burlap bagging over the tray
md slip it into the frame. Perform a
imilar operation each day, filling one
ray at a time. Sprinkle with water
iach day, and after two or three days
rom the time each tray is placed in the
rame remove the burlap, in order to
llow the oats to come up and get green.
By the time the eighth tray is filled
nd put into position in the frame the
rst tray will have sufficiently sprouted
o allow its feeding. Each day there |
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