78 MAINE AGRICUI^TURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I906. 



here for two years and is regarded as the best method thus far 

 used. The dry meal mixture is composed of the same materials, 

 in the same proportion as the moist mash was, but the method 

 of feeding it is different. It is kept within reach of the birds 

 at all times, but they never stuff themselves with it, either 

 because they do not fear an exhaustion of the supply by their 

 competing mates, or else it does not taste so good to them as to 

 cause them to eat of it to repletion. Yet they appear to eat 

 enough of it. It is rich in the materials from which hens make 

 eggs. Hens that lay many eggs must be generously nourished. 

 In the changes in feeding made here, it was not the quantity or 

 composition of the ration that was altered, but the feeding habits 

 of the birds. 



It is not proven that our present system for feeding is the only 

 correct one. Some other methods may be better, but at the 

 present time it is giving excellent satisfaction with Plymouth 

 Rocks. 



DRY FOODS ONLY. 



Early in the morning for each 100 hens, 4 quarts of screened 

 cracked corn are scattered in the litter, which is 6 or 8 inches 

 deep on the floor. This is not mixed into the litter, for the 

 straw is dry and light and enough of the grain is hidden so the 

 birds commence scratching for it almost immediately. At 10 

 o'clock they are fed in the same way, 2 quarts of wheat and 2 

 quarts of oats. This is all of the regular feeding that is done. 



Along one side of the room is the feed trough, with slatted 

 front. In it is kept a supply of dry meals mixed together. 

 This dry meal mixture is composed of the following materials, 

 viz. : 



200 lbs. good wheat bran, 



100 lbs. corn meal, 



100 lbs. middlings, 



100 lbs. gluten meal or brewers' grain, 



100 lbs. linseed meal, 



100 lbs. beef scrap. 

 These materials are spread on the floor in layers one above 

 another and shoveled together until thoroughly mixed, then 

 kept in stock, for supplying the trough. The trough is never 



