MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. I914. I3 



64 Fed according to Canadian method i ,480 



68 Feed kept before them at all times 1403 



69 Fed simple farmer's ration 1,402 



65 Fed according to Saylor method i,399 



66 Fed according to any egg farm method 1,318 



61 Fed according to Connecticut method 1,232 



It will be seen from these figures that the method designated 

 as the '"Maine method" won over all the others, the birds in 

 this pen laying 76 more eggs in the year, or more than a half 

 dozen eggs per bird on the average than for any of the other 

 feeding methods. The ''Maine method" here referred to is the 

 method of feeding which was first worked out by the Maine 

 Agricultural Experiment Station and described in its bulletins. 

 This method has been used for a number of years with excellent 

 results on the Station's own flock of Barred Plymouth Rocks, 

 and it has been very widely used by poultrymen, not only in 

 this country, but all over the world, with satisfactory results. 

 It is a matter of gratification, however, that this method should 

 take a leading position when subjected to exact comparative test, 

 as in this laying contest. 



A brief description of the way this winning pen of birds in 

 the Second National Egg Laying Contest was fed is given 

 below. 



The feed of all adult birds, whether pullets or not, consists 

 of three essential parts: (a) the whole or cracked grains scat- 

 tered in the litter, (b) the mixture of dry ground grains which 

 has come to be generally known as a dry mash, and (c) green 

 food. The component parts of the ration and the methods of 

 feeding them will be considered separately. In addition to the 

 grains and dry mash, oyster shell, dry cracked bone, grit, and 

 charcoal, are kept in slatted troughs, and are accessible at all 

 times. Plenty of clean water is furnished. About five pounds of 

 clover hay cut into one-half inch lengths is fed dailv to each 

 100 birds in the breeding pens during the breeding season. 

 When the wheat, oats and cracked corn are given, the birds are 

 always ready and anxious for them, and they scratch in the 

 litter for the very last kernel before going to the trough where 

 an abundance of feed is in store. 



Taking first the dry grains, the following may be said in 

 regard to the method in which they are fed : Early in the 



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