' REPORT OF THE POULTRY MANAGER. 



235 



EXERCISE AND HOW BROUGHT ABOUT. 



Having had a light morning meal the layers were ready for exercise and this waa 

 incited by throwing two or three handsfull of grain — as already stated — in the straw, 

 cut hay, dry leaves or chaff composing the all essential dry litter, to be found on the 

 floor of all well equipped poultry houses. The aim was to keep the layers, for the 

 remainder of the day, so busy searching for the scattered grain, that their crops would 

 be gradually filled by the time they went to roost. Certainly, a more natural way than 

 by rapidly filling their crops with grain thrown on a bare floor, or into a trough. The 

 afternoon grain ration was always fed early, so as to permit of the search being kept up. 

 Too much importance cannot be placed on the exercise part of the winter management. 



A POINT TO REMEMBER. 



The reason for feeding the morning ration will be at once apparent, from the above. 

 Had the hens been gorged, at the morning ration, they would certainly not have been 

 inclined for exertion. 



VARIETY. 



Variety in composition of rations and time of feeding them was found beneficial. 

 To have such variety, the cut bones were sometimes given for afternoon ration. 



Again, the mash would occasionally be fed at that time. When fed at the latter 

 period, it was followed by a light grain ration, which was scattered in the litter on the 

 floor, to secure the desired exercise. 



ONE ' CONSPICUOUS RESULT. 



An early and conspicuous result of the dropping of the noon and reduction of the 

 morning ration was the greatly increased quantity of vegetables and grit eaten. As 

 already stated, vegetables were always before the layers, as were mica chrystal grit and 

 crushed oyster shells. 



APPARENT RESULT IN INCREASED EARLY EGG YIELD. 



Another apparent beneficial result from the reduced rations, coupled with the early 

 moulting of the layers, was noted in an increased egg yield in the comparatively early 

 winter months of November and December, as shown by the following figures : — 



The number of hens in each year were : — 



1894 



1895 



1896 



185 

 218 

 204 



It will be noticed that the number of fowls was less in 1894, than in the other two 

 years, but not so great as to make the difference in the number of eggs. 



The early and increased results were gratifying because new laid eggs were in great 

 demand, as they usually are in November and December, particularly so at the Christmas 

 season. 



