670 BOAED OF AGRICULTURE. 



ject is to keep out the cold winds. If you haven't tried it, just paste news- 

 paper over the inside of your poultry house and see how much warmer 

 it malces it. Be sure thei'e are no craclis or even nail holes near the 

 fowls while on the roost. Many cases of roup, the most dreaded disease 

 in the poultry kingdom, may be traced to some fowl's head being in a 

 draft while on the roost. Then with proper houses and a good breed 

 of fowls the success or failure depends upon the amount of care and 

 attention that is given the flock. Not only the flock itself, but success 

 in hatching eggs from- them depends largely on the feed and care of 

 the laying hens. If hens are not fed and made fat, do not expect many 

 strong, healthy chicks. The same is true of forcing hens to lay during 

 fall and winter. When this is done, by spring the hens have not vitality 

 enough to produce fertile eggs. I have been experimenting with differ- 

 ent feeds at the Experiment Station, having in view two objects. One 

 to test corn as an egg producer and also to prevent too much laying 

 during fall and winter. Before commencing feeding whole corn, a 

 mixture of whole and ground had been fed. The result was a good egg 

 yield. We then changed the feed, giving the hens only ground corn, and 

 perhaps half the time giving the hens only corn and cob ground very 

 fine. Not over ten days of this feeding was required to reduce the egg 

 yield 40 per cent. One month of such feeding has almost stopped all 

 laying. Remember all these tests Avere home-made, were on poultry 

 conttned to large yards and not on free range. 



Corn has its place in the ration of laying hens, but it must be fed 

 with other feeds or the fowls must have free range so they may choose 

 other grains and grasses. 



By repeated trials we find oats one of our best grains to feed laying 

 hens or to get them to lay. But grains alone do not make a good egg 

 ration. Some form of A^egetable or gi-een food must be given. Nothing 

 that we have ever tried will equal cloA'er hay. This may be fed tO' the 

 hens in the form that it comes from the field, letting them eat it as they 

 choose, or running it through a feed cutter, cutting into short lengths 

 and feeding with the warm mash. Remember that 1,000 pounds of clover 

 hay contains about 30 pounds of lime, Avhile the same weight of corn 

 contains only 1 pound. It is self evident Avhich is the best egg food. 

 Then for fertile eggs, strong in vitality, I would feed grain in the 

 morning. If obtainable, place cabbage or turnips where they may be 

 eaten at will. Save all small potatoes for the chickens, unless it is a 

 season like the one just past, Avhen all the potatoes Avere small. These 

 are cooked and mixed with cut clover hay that has had boiling water 

 poured over. This warm meal is given at night instead of in the morning. 

 During winter whole corn may be added to the night feed. 



By throwing all grain in the scratching material we compel exercise, 

 and it is the busy hen that lays. Healthy poultry, fed as above, given 

 fresh water and grits of some kind, will produce fertile eggs from which 



