19 



sprouting does not improve tJie feeding qualities of grain very much, with the 

 one exception of oats. The palatability of oats is increased considerably. We 

 have made ihe oats equally palatable by having them rolled or flattened, that is 

 the hull and all. 



Feeding When Wet Mashes are Used. 



The general method of feeding is to give a mash of mixed ground grains 

 moistened v^ith water or milk, in the' morning ; a little whole grain scattered in the 

 straw covering the floor, at noon; and all the whole grain they will eat at night. 

 This latter meal is usually fed in the straw. Some poultry men adopt the plan 

 of not feeding the mash until evening, we have been practising this plan for 

 some time, and we like it very well. The objection to the former plan is that 

 the hen is likely to become gorged with food early in the morning, and thus 

 take to the roost for the rest of the day, which is usually followed by hens becom- 

 ing too fat, and the egg record becoming small; but, notwithstanding, many 

 successful poultrymen use this method to advantage. The objection to feeding 

 the mash at night is that it becomes quickly digested, and the bird has not 

 sufficient food to last it during the long winter night; but this objection can be 

 overcome by giving a little whole grain after the mash at night. 



Some poultrymen feed their fowls but twice a day, morning and evening, 

 and get very good results; but I favor feeding three times a day. Our plan is 

 somewhat as follows : — 



Early in the morning the fowls are given half a handful each of whole 

 grain. This is buried in" the litter on the floor. Thus the fowls get exercise (a 

 very necessary thing) in searching for it and at the same time keep themselves 

 warm. At noon about two handsful of grain are given to a dozen hens in the 

 litter; they are also given all the roots they will eat, either pulped or whole, as 

 fowl relish mangels, sugar beets and turnips. Cabbages also — a very good green 

 food — is sometimes given. About four o'clock in the afternoon they are fed a 

 mash composed of equal parts of bran, shorts, oat-chop and corn meal (during 

 cold weather) ; and to this is added about 10 per cent, of animal meal, if we 

 have not cut green bone or cooked meat. These foods are thoroughly mixed 

 together in the dry state, after which is added steeped clover, which has been 

 prepared by getting a bucket of clover leaves, or cut clover hay, and scalding it 

 with boiling water. This is done early in the morning, and the bucket is kept 

 covered with a thick sack throughout the day. This will be quite warm at night, 

 if it has been kept in a warm place. There is usually sufficient liquid to moisten 

 the meal that has been mixed. Our aim is to have about one-third of the ration, 

 in bulk, of clover. After the mash a small amount of whole grain, is fed in the 

 straw. There is — and should be — a plentiful supply of good pure water within 

 easy r^ach at all times. 



To those who keep but a dozen or so fowls, or to those who wish to economize 

 in the feed bills, by using table refuse such as bread, meat, vegetables, etc., the 

 wet mash system is commendable, in that these cheap by-products, if clean, and 

 cooked, make excellent mashes, when dried ofi^ with shorts and bran or other 

 chop. This kind of mash usually gives excellent egg yields, and the labor entailed 

 is not a serious consideration, under the above conditions, but it is, at times,, 

 where birds are kept in large numbers. 



