REPORT OF THE POULTRY MANAGER 



237 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



October 31 of last year. Two varieties of fowls, namely, White Plymouth Rock 

 pullets and White Orpingtons, were selected, 22 of the former being taken, and 10 

 hens and 4 pullets of the latter. The White Plymouth Rocks were again divided into 

 two groups of 11 each and the Wliite Orpingtons were also divided into two groups of 

 5 hens and 2 pullets each, one group of each variety receiving frozen and the other 

 sound wheat. The different groups were kept in separate pens. The frozen wheat 

 was fed both whole and ground fine. When given whole, it was scattered in the litter 

 on the floor of the poultry-house; when ground, it was made a part of their mash. 

 Experience had shown, that when fed alone, the frozen wheat sometimes caused loose- 

 ness of bowels, therefore the frozen grain, when whole, was mixed with oats. The mixture 

 of whole grains then stood, half frozen wheat and half sound oats, with the ground 

 frozen wheat mixed with cornmeal and ground oats. Details of the experiment will 

 be found in the following tables, which show the number of eggs laid by the different 

 ^oups per month; average number of eggs laid per fowl during the experiment, and 

 the gain or loss in weight by the different groups, the whole making an interesting 

 and instructive experiment. The four tables of results are as follows : — 



Table 3. — Showing Results from Feeding Frozen Wheat, Whole and Ground, to 11 

 White Plymouth Rock Pullets, from February 20 to October 31, 19 8. 



This table should be compared with No. 4, showing results from birds fed on 

 sound grain only. 



RATIONS FED TO ABOVE GROUP OF FOWLS. 



Whole grain; one-half frozen wheat, one-half oats, mixed. Fed morning 

 evening thrown in litter on the floor of the house. 

 Wet mash, every third day at noon. 

 Cut bone, every third day at noon. 

 ■ Beets, every third day at noon. 

 Grit, broken oyster shells, and roots in regular supply. 

 The composition of the wet mash was as follows: — 



Ground frozen wheat 1 part. 



" oats 1 « 



" barley 1 " 



" Corn 1 " 



Beef scraps took the place of cut green bone from April 24. 



The birds were given, at each time of feeding, all the food they could eat. 



and 



