The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1921-11-17
!. OUR POULTRY
DEPARTMENT
Conducted by S. p. Porter
Mallet Creek. Ohio
WINTER FEEDING

spring laying, we must give them
thru winter just as near summer
conditions as possible; and now that
winter is here we should begin feed
ing to that end at once. If our hens
or pullets were laying as real winter
comes on, we must expect the cold
weather to at least slow up their egg
production, if not stop it entirely. But
by proper feeding and care this ces-
sation in egg production need not last
so very long.
Now it's not a bad guidance to fol-
low to just note about what kind Of
food they were getting when running
at large, just before being put into
winter quarters. In doing SO one
will find that the variety of food OBJ
tanned at that time would be almost
too great to be duplicated or supplied
by our silos. But by studying the
nature ard kinds of food needed, we
can follow up biddy's variety pretty
closely. The great trouble with US
usually is that we are rather prone
to see how cheaply we can feed our
fowls to carry them thru the winter.
1t should not be how little we can
winter them on, but rather how much
can we make them consume; for re-
member, none of the food will be vast
ed, as it building for the future.
It will be noticed that the hen
when on range picks up many things
that would seem to us as nearly
worthless, but biddy knows her busi-
ness. 1t provides bulk, which is
necessary. Wholly grain diet with
no bulky food would not be consd-
cred by biddy is she has her own
choosing, hence it's up to us to pro-
vide bulky food in some form during
the winter months. What shall it be
depends largely whether you are q
farmer or whether you are situated
so that tyou cannot get the bulky
food found in abundance on the farm.
We must have protein in considerable
quantities, both that found in animal
foods and green foods. In green
foods we find plenty Of it in clover
and alfalfa ard it's surprising to
note what great quantities Of either
the fowls will consume when confin-
ed in winter coops, if they can get it.
/ Even if one has but an acre or two.
or only large garden, it will pay
big to save patch Of alfalfa for his
chickens in winter. Sow as soon as
land is fit to work ir spring and it
can be cut twice the first year and
afterward three or four times year
So it will be seen that only a very
shall patch will supply large flock
with the finest green food to be had
In preparing alfalfa for feeding to
poultry, it should be cut as soon as
the blooms begin to appear. Let i
wilt a half day only, then rake into
bundles and carry to some shed OF
loft, unite bundles ard spread out
little so the air can finish curing
it. After few days turn the alfal-
ia over and let it lay spread out un.
til perfectly dry; then it may be tiet
in quite small bundles and packed
away in a smaller space to hold fol
winter. When bundle is hung il
the coop the fowls get after it in 9
hurry. Common red clover can be
treated in the same manner, but the
fowls very much prefer the alfalfa
The latter cured as described will
keep it's nice green color, which helps
to make it such tempting morsa
of food for the biddies.
Right at this point we wish to men
ton the fact that silage is one of th'
very best forms Of green food fol
winter use in the poultry yards. A
first they pick at it with suspicion
on account Of its peculiar smell, bu
, they soon become used to it and seer
to really like it. We know Of q ma
in Kansas that conducts a large poul
try ranch, who fills two large silo
! for his fowls every year. He cut
his ensilage a little more green tina
B dothe dairymen in this part Of tn
r country and doesn't allow any ear
' Of corn to mature on It. The pr
]. tein we must get thru animal food
i lis not such an easy problem, as II
e necessary to use greater caution .
to what we use, and the condition
h is in when it is to be fed. Fresh q
r green bone and meat that may adhel
g to II as It comes from the butcht
e shop is undoubtedly the best kind
!. animal food we can use. But gres
: caution must be used in grinding onl
fresh bones, as mouldy or spoile
t meats start trouble in camp at one
Il This form Of animal food must ]
~ .s..As... nv ,,,.v... 20 F,.ncy. si q :