Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-04-29

There is a difference between feedine
chickens and simply supplying then
with food. To feed intelligently means
to cater to bodily requirements IN 'he
most economical manner. To give tne
flock food usually means to thro" ou'
grain and other products regardless OF
the character of the food and its rela'
ton to the demands of the fowls.
Most animals are provided with teeth
to enable them to masticate their 1000
and thus prepare it for the action OF
organic secretions, and its ultimate as
similation. Hens teeth are proverbiaily
scarce, though they have been endowed
with an equally good substitute In the
form of a gizzard.
In chickens the food is first received
in the crop, where it remains for
time and is acted upon by secretion
similar to the saliva in the mouth OF an
animal, which softens it to great ex-
tent. When the food has absorbed a
sufficient amount of this secretion
it gradually passes into the gizzard
thence to the intestinal section, where
the available nutrients are separated
from the waste and assimilated by the
blood.
If supplied with the necessary grind
ing material the giZzard will perform
its work thoroughly. and the fowl VIII
be maintained in healthy condition
But If this grinding material Is not
available. or if it is improper In char.
acter, husks and the harder portions OF
the food will defy the action OF the
gizzard. accumulate. cause stoppage'
and as a result the fowl becomes crop
bound, which Is form of indigestion.
Lack of sharp grit will also cause sour
crop, diarrhea and liver troubles, and
sometimes the gall-sack will oyernow,
or burst and result in the birds death.
Don't assume that because fowls are
given freedom to roam about field
that they will pick up sufficient grit
Unless the henyard is adjacent to
quarry. the pebbles picked up on the
average farm are of little value as grit
They are not sharp enough. smooth
round pebble in a fowls giZZard Is OF
no more use than an AK handle would
be for splitting wood. To be effective
grits must have sharp. angular corners;
like grindstones. they must have biting
edges.
Oyster shells are fed in addition to
grit. for the lime and other mineral
substances they contain. 1t Is aston
ishing how much of these shells are
consumed by flock Of hens during the
laying season. and how little during the
unproductive months. which is the
strongest kind of testimony as to their
usefulness.
Grit to grind the food charcoal to
keep it sweet. and oyster shells to sup
ply lime in abundance-this Is trii-
ogy never to be overlooked. Some poui-
trymen prefer to mix the charcoal IN
the dry mash, which is good idea but
the grit and shells should be placed
before the birds in convenient. sanitary
hoppers or boxes by themselves.
II fowls are allowed to range at Will
over a large area. and there are not too
many birds in the flock. they will pick
up a large amount of animal matter in
the form of insects, worms and other
low forms of animal life. The same
holds true of green food. If the poultry
keeper confines the flock, or II there
are a great many birds to the acre Of
pasturage. in which case there would
be insufficient insect food to go round.
1t is necessary to furnish a substitute
for this food. especially during the
winter months. It is the animal food
which furnishes the high percentage
Of protein or heterogeneous matter. so
essential to the production Of eggs. and
which Is the most expensive part of the
diet.
controversy has existed for some
wears over the relative merits of ami
mai protein and vegetable protein.