Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1919-01-23
WINTER RATION
FOR HEN FLOCK
PouItrymen Should Have Supply
of Green Feed to Last
Through Cold Season.
SPROUTED OATS ARE FAVORED
Provide SuccuIence and Bulk to Keep
Fowls in Good Condition-Cab-
bages, MangeI Wurzels, Glover
and Alfalfa Good.

Green feeds for poultry contain only
a small percentage of actual food nu
trients, but are important because of
their Succulence and bulk, which
tighten the grain rationS and assist in
keeping the birds in good condition.
The pOultrymen should secure a Suffi-
cient supply of such feeds to last
through the winter months in sections
where growing green feeds cannot be
obtained. When chickens are fattened
without the use of milk, green feed
helps to keep them in good condition.
Cabbage, mangel WurZels, clover, al
falfa and sprOuted oats are the green
feeds commonly used during the Win
ter. CabbageS do not keep as well in
ordinary cellars as mangel wurZels, SO
where both of these feeds are avail
able the cabbages are fed first. They
are often suspended, While the mangel
WurZelS are split and stuck on nail
on the wall of the pen. Glover and
alfalfa may be fed as hay, cut into
One-half to One-inch lengths, or may
be bought in the form of meal. Alfalfa
meal has q feeding analysis equal to
bran, but is not as digestible on ac-
count of its larger percentage of fiber.
Glover and alfalfa should be cut while
slightly immature if they are to be
cured and fed to poultry. The leaves
and chaff from such hay are especially
adapted for poultry feeding.
Sprouted Oats Best.
One of the best and most readily OBJ
tainable green feeds which is now be-
ing used extensively as a winter feed
is Sprouted oats. The oats can be
soaked for - hours in warm water
and spread out in layer of from one
half TO one and One-half inches deep
on a floor or in a tray or tier of flats.
The trays should have openings in the
bottom or the bottoms should be made
of three-SiXteenth inch wire mesh, so
the water drains freely Sprinkle the
oats twice daily and stir them every
other day until sprouts are we'll start
ed. Unless the oats are stirred mold
may set in, thus spelling the feed.
They are usually fed when the sprouts
are from to ~ inches long, although
some poultry men prefer allowing the
sprouts TO grow to two or three inches
long.
Plan for Sprouting Oats.
Oats neeH moist, warm atmosphere
in which to sprout quickly, so that it
is necessary to furnish heat or to keep
them in warm room during the Win
ter, while they may be sprouted out of
doors during the rest of the. year. 1t
takes from six to ten days to sprout
oats, depending upon the temperature
of the room. If the oats are inclined
to become moldy, Notwithstanding the
fact that they are stirred during the
first part of the sprOuting period, it is
advisable to treat them with formalin.
A solution made in the proportion of
one pint formalin to 80 gallons of wa
ter should be Sprinkled over and thor
oughly mixed with the oats. A guam
tity of oats can be treated at one
time in this way, then covered with
blanket for "a hours, then dried by
airing and stirring, and placed in
1sacks. Oats thus treated and dried
may be held for a long time for
sprouting.