Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1919-10-25


prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Asriculture)
Mrs. Hen. veteran, and Miss Pullet,
rookie" of the laying flock, will pro-
duce plenty of eggs during the fall and
winter months if they are properly
fed and carefully managed.
Investigations of the United States
department Of agriculture show that
general purpose pullets will consume
in a year an average Of 81 pounds Of
feed to one dozen eggs produced. while
yearlings will eat about 90 pounds Of
feed. In these experiments the Leg
horn pullets ate As pounds and the
yearlings So pounds of feed for the
production of one dozen eggs. The
general purpose pulletS ate 10 pounds
more feed in producing one dozen eggs
than the LeghOrn pullets, and the diff
ference increased very rapidly with
the age of the stock, the general pur-
pose yearlingS consuming IL pounds
more feed to a dozen eggs than the
Leghorn yearlings; t refore. the Leg
horns produced eggs re Cheaply than
the general purpose / eds. This is in
accordance with the q lerally accepted
standards which valu the general pur-
pose breeds most hig ~ for market or
for the Matching and breeding purposes
Of the general farmer and backyard
poultry raiser, while he Leghorns are
especially adapted f. use on CONNER
cial egg farms. Il
Profitable egg production is largely
the result Of properly balanced rations
of wholesome feeds. A balanced ration
is a combination OF feeds furnishing
just the necessary amount Of nutrients
to produce the highest and most eco
nomical egg yields and maintain the
body requirements &c the same time
A good egg-laying ration should include
a scratch mixture AID a mash com
posed of palatablei feeds containing
some animal protein and considerable
bulk. Corn and wheat are the two
best grains for poultry feeding, al
though wheat can be fed alone better
than corn, which Isl inclined to be fat
teuine- Obs an 6sx1ev-.aa account
of theft llgher f67 Content are not
as good as corn as4 wheat. while rye
is not well relished by fowls and is
seldom fed. Moldy grains should new
er be fed poultry although wheat
screenings or slightly damaged grain
sometimes may be hs, to advantage
Menu MakeuHs for Biddy.
A good mash consists of 16 pounds OF
cornmeal, six and a half pounds OF
meat scrap, one pound of bran, and one
pound of middlingS, which should be
fed supplementary TO the scratch mix
ture of one pound each Of cracked
corn, wheat, and o. ats. Another gooc
mash consists of two pounds Of corn
meal or barley meal. one pound of mid
dlings, one pound OF meat or fish scrap
which should be fed in combination
with a scratch mixture of two pounds
of wheat or barley. A third valuable
mash consists of three pounds of corn
meal, one pound of meat scrap, which
should be fed In combination witt
scratch mixture of two pounds o,
cracked corn and one pound of oats
Still another practical mash mixture
consists of nine pounds Of cornmeai
five pounds of middlings, four pounds
of bran, two pounds of cottonseed oil
gluten meal, two pounds of meat scrap
2 per cent bone meal, fed in connec
ton with a scratch combination of two
pounds cracked corn, one pound o.
wheat, one pound Of oats, and one
pound of barley.
The scratch mixture should be fet
twice daily, preferably in litter from
3 to inches deep on the floor of the
hen house, feeding about one third o.
the mixture in the morning and two
thirds in the afternoon. The mast
may be fed dry or wet, although th'
dry mash is more common, it being KEEP
constantly before the fowls in the hop
per. If hens show tendency TO De
come too fat make them work for theiI
feed by feeding the scratch grain in
deep litter, by feeding less scratch
grain, and by reducing the quantity o.
meat scrap in the mash.
The feeder must exercise his owl
Judgment in deciding how much grair
to supply, as the amount should var.
with the different fowls and at differ
ent seasons of the year.
Generally a good standard is to fee'
about one quart Of scratch grains an'
an equal weight of mash Gone and
half quarts daily to Is hens OF th'
general-purpose breeds, such as TIM
Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Island Reds
or Wyandottes, or 10 hens Of the small
er or egg breeds. This would be abou
seven and a half pounds each o.
scratch grains and Of mash daily Il
100 Leghorns. If hens have free range
or large yards containing green feet
a general-purpose hen will eat abou
IS pounds of feed in a year and Leg