The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1918-04-17
FEEDING FOWLS FOR
MEAT AND EGGS

In feeding the flock an effort should
be made to do so as cheaply as pos
sible consistent with the production of
eggs. To accomplish this all table
scraps, kitchen waste, ETC., should be
utilized. Scraps OF meat or leftover
vegetables which cannot be utilized in
any other way make excellent feed.
There are also many other waste prod
ucts, such as beet tops, turnip tops,
carrot tops, potato parings. onion tops,
the outside leaves of cabbages, waste
lettuce leaves, bread and cake crumbs,
ETC., all of which are relished by the
hens and can be used to the best adj
vantage. In saving the scraps and
waste it is well to separate the por-
lions adapted for feeding to the flock
and place these in receptacle or pail
Of their own. Decomposed waste ma
terial or moldy bread or cake should
never be saved to feed to the hens, as
it is harmful to them and may cause
serious bowel trouble. Sloppy mate
rial, such as dishwater, should not be
thrown into their pail. 1t is also use
less to put in such things as banana
peels or the skins of oranges, as these
have little or no food value. Any sour
milk which is not utilized in the house
should be given to the chickens. This
should be fed separately, however,
either by allowing the hens to drink
it or by allowing it to clabber on the
back of the stove and then feeding it
in that condition. When the family's
table waste is not sufficient for feed
ing the flock, it is usually possible to
get some of the neighbors who keep
no hens to save material suitable for
feeding. Many people are glad to do
this if a small pail in which to place
the waste is furnished.
Table scraps and kitchen waste are
best prepared for feeding by running
them through an ordinary meat
grinder. After the material has been
put through the grinder it is usually
a rather moist mass, and it is well to
mix with 1t some cornmeal, bran or
other ground grain until the whole
mass assumes a crumbly condition.
The usual method is to feed the table
scraps at noon or at night, or at both
times, as may be desired, in a trough
or on board. All should be fed that
the hens will eat up clean, and if any
of the material is left after one-half or
three-quarters of an hour it should be
removed. If allowed to lie it may spoil
and wOuld he very had for thp hons
With the table scraps it is we'll to
feed some grain. Perhaps this may be
given best as light feed in the morn
ing. Four or five handfuls of grain
(about one-half pint) scattered in the
litter will be sufficient for a flock of
twenty or twenty-five hens. By hand
full is meant as much as can be grasped
in the hand, not what can be scoOped
up in the open hand. By scattering it
in the litter the hens will be compelled
to scratch in order to find the grain
and in this way to take exercise, which
is decidedly beneficial to them. If the
house is too small to feed in, the grain
can be scattered on the ground outside.
A good grain mixture for this purpose
is composed of equal parts by weight
of wheat, cracked corn and oats. An
other suitable grain mixture is COM
posed of two parts by weight of
cracked corn and one part oats.