West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1916-02-03
Results Depend on Methods OF
Feeding as Well as Kinds of
Grain Used-Animal Protein Is
Considered Essential to Produce
Eggs During Winter

Though the feeding of poultry is a
much debated subject In poultry hus-
bandry, there Is no one best feed or
combination of feeds. Results depend
almost as much upon the ability OF the
feeder and the methods of feeding as
on the kinds of grains.
The simplest foed-mixtures and
homegrown grains should usually be
selected. the rations varying with the
changes in the market price OF grains.
IL ia advisable for most poultry rails
ers To mix their own feeds, as I'm this
way they can control the proportion
OF the various ingredients and obtain
the precise mixture that they desire.
If. however, one desires to purchase
prepared feeds, information concern
ing the different commercial articles
may usually be secured from the state
experiment station. Most experiment
stations will analyzo poultry feeds
and report on the different CONNER
cial preparations sold by dealers I'm
| their states.
Poultry feeds may be divided for
convenience into FIVE general classes:
First, grains, both whole and cracked:
second. ground grains, fed i'm the form
OF a mash; third, meat feeds; fourth.
mineral feeds; and nth, green feeds.
Corn, cracked corn, wheat and wheat
II
screenings. barley, oats. rye and buck
wheat are the principal grains, while
| OF the ground feeds we have corn
meal and corn chop, corn and cob
meal. wheat bran, middlings, shorts
and low-grade -four, oatmeal, oat -four
and ground or crushed oats, and mix
ed feeds. In the meat feeds, or feeds
supplying protein, are beef scrap.
meat meal, ground green bone, and
various forms of milk; while bone
meal, dry bone. oyster shells, and grit
make up the mineral feeds and, with
charcoal and green feeds, complete the
common feeding materials
Many ground feeds. which are by
| products OF the common grains, are
used to good advantage I'm feeding, in
combinations with grain and beef
scrap Ground grains and meat feeds
are more forcing than the whole
grains commonly used, while the com
bination OF the whole grains with the
ground feeds makes a more economi-
cal feed and better balanced ration
than the whole grains alone. The
feed elements are usually cheaper I'm
the ground than I'm the whole grain.
as the former are by-products OF many
OF the grains used for human CON
sumption. Ground grains and beef
scrap, in combination. either wet or
dry, make what is called a mash"
These by-products are higher in pro-
tein than most Of the common grains,
so that a balanced ration is secured
by combining whole grains with the
mash Some Of the ground grains.
such as bran and middlings, add a
large percentage OF bulk to the ration
which is beneficial.
Animal protein is considered essen
tial TO the best results i'm feeding
Most poultrymen feed meat in some
form, while suburban poultry keepers
either feed this product or table
scraps; but few farmers buy any meat
feed. Some form Of feed containing
animal protein must be supplied II
any eggs are to be obtained In the
fall and winter Skim milk or but
termilk Is available on many farms.
and whore it Is not II would probably
pay most farmers 10 buy beef scrap
or some other meat feed. Fowls on
free range ON the farm pick up bugs
and insects during part OF the year,
which furnish this protein feed. SO
that the use OF additional meat feeds
is regulated by Individual conditions.
Fowls closely confined need more ami
NAL feed than those on a good range.
and In cold climate. where no bugs
or insects are available during sew
eral winter months. more animal feed
must be supplied than in sections
whore the winters are mild
a well balanced ration contains the
proper proportion Of protein and car
bohydrates for its purpose with the
mineral matter, bulk. and palatability
that are necessary to give good feed
Ing results. There is no best ration.
and the practical application OF
science in poultry feeding is TO know
about what proportion OF these sub
stances gives good feeding results and
then 70 use roughly this relative pro
portion in making rations or in sub
stituting different feeds, according TO
their price and availability.
In securing fall and winter eggs the
first essential is 10 have pulIets woli
maturod before cold weather, which
means Matching birds OF the general
purpose breeds IN March and April.
The average farmer hatches his chick
ems too late 10 secure eggs in the
fall. With well maturod pullets and
improved feeding methods farmers
could secure more eggs in winter than
F. they obtain under present conditions
a well-balauced simple ration may
he made Of equal parts, by WEIGHT. Of
/ Wheat tracked corn, and oats fed
twice daily. usually In tho morning
anf % night. The grain may be either
scattered on the range in summer and
in tho litter IN the poultry house l0
1 Ninter. on fed in the house hvoueh-