Evening journal., 1921-02-23
WINTER RATIONS
FOR POULTRY
Green Feed is a Necessity
For the Birds in Cold
Weather
CLOVER HAY
is ECONOMICAL

How arc you going TO fool the hen
at this season OF the year so she will
think Il Is the good old summer time
and lay eggs even at 10 below zero?
One way is TO give her cut bone
meat scraps, fish or milk in place OF
the fancy bugs and worms she pro-
vides herself with in the season
when picking in the insect world Is
good. Lengthening the short hours
of daylight by artificial lights In the
henhouse also helps TO delude the
simple-minded creature into think
ing that summer Is here and more
eggs are expected from her. But
neither animal food nor artificial
light will result in the highest egg
production II plenty OF green feed IN
not given the flock. To obtain the
best results with poultry they must
be furnished a plentiful supply OF
green feed. Where fowls have un-
limited range on a farm they VIII
secure green feed during the spring
and summer, but during the winter
Il should be supplied for them.
The question OF how to supply the
best feed at the least cost is one
that each poultry keeper must de-
eide largely for himself. Il Will
probably make little difference what
kind OF green feed is supplied pro-
vided Il Is relished by the fowls.
Cabbages. turnips, beets, sprouted
oats. and the like are suitable for
this purpose.
The larger roots and the cabhages
may be suspended by a wire or
string. or they may be placed on the
floor. in which case II would be well
TO split the turnips or beets length
wise with a large knife. Potatoes
and turnips should De fed cooked.
The mangel is an excellent root for
feeding raw. Sprouted oats. clover
meal and ground alfalfa make very
good feeds for this purpose.
Oats for sprouting are soaked
overnight in warm water and then
spread out one inch thick on trays
having perforated bottoms and put
into an oat sprouter. The oats are
watered thoroughly and should be
stirred daily until the sprouts are
we'll started. In cool weather arti-
fclal heat should be supplied by the
use Of a kerosene lamp or by some
other means. Use a good grade OF
oats. allow a square inch OF sprout-
ed-oat surface per hen daily. and
feed these sprouted oats on the floor
Of the poultry house or in the yard
Fed at any time after the sprouts
are well started. which usually takes
from 5 10 z days. Keep the sprouteI
clean. spraying Il occasionally with
disinfectant TO prevent the growtf
Of mold.
Where the fowls are yarded. and
not enough green food is furnished
by the yards, a small patch OF clover
alfalfa or rape may be sown. An!
one OF these, II frequently moved
will furnish a great quantity Of greel
feed during the growing season in
form which IS relished by the fowls
Canada field pease may also be sow
for this purpose. and when fed Il
n tender, crisp condition are eater
readily. Rye is a good crop for lat
fall and early spring, for It will ger
inmate and grow in very colt
7 weather and will live through tn
5 winter. As a general thing, fowl
should have once a day about all tn
! green feed they will eat
q Glover hay may be fed economic
! ally TO laying hens and may be pre-
? pared as follows: Cut into as shor
- lengths as possible (one-fourth I
] one-half inch) and place in a buckle
e Then pour boiling water over It an
allow to stand for two or thre
e hours or over night. When read
e TO feed. drain Off the water and mi
o. the hay with the mash. The ha
70 may constitute about one-half tn
- bulk OF the feed. although the exac
20 proportion Is immateriaL Glover ha
s is best. but any kind is valuable. Tn
e feeder must be careful not TO Civ
too much bulky feed. for the hei
s having a small crop, cannot max
- use OF as large an amount OF IL Q
s the COW and other ruminants can.