1906.] THE NEW POULTRY CULTURE. 



133 



In this simple way it is possible to grow good, strong, healthy 

 layers, and not have one bit of fuss about ' balanced rations ' 

 and forty different kinds of food. When the pullets show 

 signs of getting ready to lay, which they will do by October 

 first, if they are hatched in April, it is high time to get them 

 into the quarters they will occupy during the winter, and it is 

 now time to change the manner of feeding somewhat." 



The food for the laying hens is in a food-hopper which is 

 divided into three compartments, each holding about half a 

 bushel ; in one compartment is a mixture of one-half barley 

 and a half cracked corn, in the middle compartment is the beef 

 scraps and in the other whole oats. This food is there in the 

 hoppers all the time, the hoppers being re-filled twice a week, 

 and never being empty, and they eat of either or all of them 

 just as they choose. It is evident that if the hoppers were 

 sufficiently large to hold a full week's supply of grain, they 

 would only need to be filled once a week, and then the Doctor 

 would have it told of him that he only fed his hens once a 

 week ! 



The question of green-food supply, here in our rigorous 

 climate, where snow covers the ground for many weeks and 

 some winters as much as four months, is an important one, 

 and the question is frequently raised as to feeding something 

 warm, " to warm up the birds when they come off the roosts." 

 If one has the feeling that he must feed something warm, by 

 all means make it a feed of steamed clover, cut in half-inch 

 lengths, and the green-food supply will be covered at the same 

 time. The freshening of the cut clover by either steam or 

 hot water makes it more palatable, makes it considerably like 

 new-mown hay before it is cured, and the fowls relish it 

 greatly. They also relish the cut clover dry, and some pro- 

 gressive poultrymen keep a wire-netting pocket of cut clover 

 hanging against the wall of each pen, the clover being cut in 

 half-inch lengths and a half-bushel at a time put in the pocket. 

 The fowls eat a good deal of it. The usual green foods, such 

 as beets, turnips, carrots, cabbages — any of the vegetables 

 commonly used for this purpose, can be fed just the same when 

 the grains are fed in hoppers as when the old-time mash 

 breakfast was fed, followed by the noon and night feeds of 

 grain in the litter. 



