The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-06
TO THE FOWLS
 REGULAR BILL OF FARE
Some Poultrymen Starye Their FIOcks in the Midst of Plenty-Value of Grit, Shells, Charcoal, Animal Food and Green Stuff
By ROBERT ARMSTRONG

E1pert FOuitrym1n anu Wrtter
 So far as quantity is concerned most of Us feed literally enough, in fact, some feed too liberally. There ie seldom any serious objection raised on quality. But how about variety? How about the ac- cessories to the bill for fare-the greens, grits and grubs? These are the elements which are so often neglected, and without which fowls suffer.
 There Is difference between feeding chickens, and simply supplying them with food. The feed intelligently means to cater to bodily requirements in the flock food usually means to throw out grain and other products regardless of the character of the food and it's relation to the demands of the fowls
 No single grain or form or food is a. complete ration for man or beast. An animal may subsst for g. time on one, but sooner or later it will cease to thrive, and eventually 1t will perish by disease or starvation-induced by maInutrition. The bodies of all creatures positively de- mand certain elements, and without them they cannot survive. When a diet or ration Is made up in such a manner as to supply sufficient amount of each group of nutrients, it Is called a bal anced ration.
 In the limits of single article it Is impossible to discuss At any length the principles of nutrition and feeding. Most poultry raisers feed sufficient grains, therefore they provide enough carbonace- Sj oi,,c iot, in the element; 1t Is also likely that they feed considerable protein. which is an- other term for nitrogrnous matter; but their rations ar probably deficient in mineral substances. which we have termed the accessories to the regular bill of fare.
 Furnish the Fowls With Grindstones
 Most animals are provided with teeth to enable them to masticate their food and thus prepare it for the action of organic secretions, and it's ultimate as- similation. Hens teeth are proverbially scarce, though they have been endowed With an equally good substitute in the form of 8 gizzard. This is quite re- markable organ; it is tough and muscu- lar. capable of strong rotary action, and so situated that all food passing from the crop must enter the gzzard, where it is ground up previous to entering the in testines for the final digestive processes.
 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 extent. When the food has absorbed sufficient amount of this secretion, it gradually passes into the gizzard thence to the intestinal sec ton, where the available nutrients are separated from the waste and assimi- lated by the blood.
 {od x1r;% ing material the gizzard will perform it's work thoroughly, and the fowl will be maintained in healthy condition. But, if this grinding material is not available, or if itTis of improper character. husls and the harder portions of the food will defy the action of the gizzard, accumu- late, cause stoppage, and as a result the fowl becomes crop bound, which is a form of indigestion.
 Lack of sharp grit will also cause sour