Milford chronicle., 1916-03-31

d poultry is subject which has been dis
T. cussed pro and con for many long years
4 yet the poultry public, generally speak
= ing, are as unfamiliar with it today q
they were at the very start. As q re
suit, many persons are prone to fee
their birds after certain given formula
that may be suggested to them fror
D time to time, without knowing or evel
0 taking the trouble to ascertain the rels
+. tive value of the foods given or just VIII,
they should or should not feed them.
There are two very important ant
distinct reasons for feeding a chickel
other than to keep the bird alive. Oh
yes, there are those persons who keel
chickens apparently for the fun of tht
thing. They seem to know nothing abou
them and make absolutely no effort tC
acquire any knowledge. They are con
tent to lay out money for food, at leas
what they term food, without getting
anything in return.
Such a person never did, nor never
will, make a success of the business anC
is not what l would term a breeder ol
raiser but just simply plain keeper OF
fowls.
The first important reason for feeding
properly, would say, is for the purpose
of forming bone and tissue in the fowl
and to develop it for the perfunctOry
duties for which it was seeminly created.
The second reason for feeding prop
erly is to insure egg production. which
means that the hen will return with in
terest the amount of money you spend
on her. II this does not prove true,
then it is indeed only a foolish man who
will continue to harbor them. No man
can or will continue to engage in any
business unless it be profitable, and the
same should be true with the raising of
chickens If it costs you as much to
maintain flock of chickens as to buy
| five dozen eggs, and you are only get
ting a scarce half dozen from the flock,
a man that will continue to thus waste
his money is "a fool after the first
water"
One Of two things is true, either there
is nothing wrong with the chickens
themselves, or else the fault lays at the
door of the man. In either case, the
prudent man will dig and sift, and sift
and dig, until the cause for this cOndi-
tiOn Is located and then either adopt the
right methods or else cut out raising
chickens. While it is true that the fault
sometimes lays with the chickens, yet
it is generally the fault of the man who
keeps the chickens. Where the chickens
are at fault, they should be supplanted
with birds that are not drones or idlers.
Where the fault lies at the door of the
breeder, he should improve his methods.
Each article of food should be care
fully studied for its relative value be- ]
fore laying out your money for it /; as
very often much hard-earned cash is !
wasted in the purchase of a lot of stuff !
that is Of little or no value as an article |
of diet.
Corn is probably the most popular of
all foods among the average novices in
the game Of chicken raising, and this is
probably due to the fact that it is the
principal article Of diet on most farms
where the fowls are practically allowed
to rear themselves, without getting any
Of the farmers attention. Father fed
corn, son followed father, and son com
his knowledge and iDforma-
tion to cousins and acquaintances until
many persons who have family connec
tons in the country all claim that the
hens need no other food than corn, and
never feed it unless by ac-
,ldent. Such persons wonder why the
lens do not lay. Saw-dust never made
4 barn. nor will corn make eggs. 8
The fact that hens like corn, and pick
t up IN preference to any other kind of
ood, does not necessarily mean that it q,
makes eggs. Corn is necessary for the /;
Dutting on of flesh and for the supply l
ng of heat to the body. 1t should, :
however, never be fed alone, unless for :
he evening meal on a cold winter day, -
7hen it may be given for warmth of !
he body over night. Corn will also !,
i've the yolk of the egg that beautiful }
-olden color. 1t should be included inl
he hens rations, but never form the
Whole diet. Il
katfr corn has relatively the same &
ood value as plain corn. 1t is very o
opular, especially in the Middle West, B
ut like the above, should never be fed 7
lone. Where corn is used, it is only a d
1aste Of good money to put kaffir corn q
the diet. Leave it out, where corn 5
used, and in its place, use larger pro- K
Ortions Of nutritive grains. 5
Oats are rich in protein, therefore Of g
ntold value to growing birds, and alike B
aluable for the matured stock. This is
specially true where they are heavy.
here are many persons who claim that m
ats are the best grains to feed by =,
but do not advocate the -
'eding Of any one variety of grain ex-
Barley is an excellent food for fatten-
g, but is very hard to digest, and for
lis reason, should be fed in a ground
ate if used in any quantity. 1t should,
,wever, be fed sparingly.
Buekwheat is another of the grains SO
hich are classed as fat-fOrming foods,
d for this reason, / would advise that 70
be used in small quantities. 1t tends N
so to whiten the skin and is generally
ed IN larger proportions where birds We
e being prepared for market.
Wheat is also favorite diet for feed
2, and unlike the average grain, is a by
ry valuable food IL is one of the
ry few grains which may be fed singly
thout showing any i'll effects. 1t is nc
b in both protein and mineral matter on
q no poultry ration is complete with
it. Many persons have success with 90,
lltry where nothing but a wheat diet ~
used, save, of course, for the feeding
animal and green foods which are es- 4
ltial to egg production. Wheat, how vic
sr, will make eggs. Good, clean spr