Constitutional Vigor in Poultry 



577 



Fig. i6i.- 



The buildings in which flocks 76 and 75 were 

 housed 



Flocks 21 and 23 were put in pens in the New York State fresh- 

 air house, having concrete floor and both glass and cloth windows 

 (Fig. 162). This house 

 is of the shed-roof 

 type, with paper- 

 covered roof. Each 

 fowl was given 5.8 

 square feet floor space, 

 39.4 cubic feet air 

 space, 0.66 square feet 

 cloth- window surface, 

 0.45 square feet glass- 

 window surface, and 19.9 square feet yard area. A complete description 

 of the house is given in Bulletin 274 of this station. 



winter care and feeding 



All flocks received similar treatment, care, and food. Similar 

 alterations in method of treatment or in care were made for each flock 

 to be compared. 



The grain ration was fed rather sparingly in a litter in the morning 

 and more abundantly at night. At noon either beets, cabbage, or grass, 

 as green food, or green cut bone, was thrown to the fowls in quantities 

 varying with the number of fowls in the pen. At this time the dry mash 

 hoppers were opened and left open until night. During the early summer 

 months fresh-mown grass was thrown to the fowls. Grit, oyster shell, 

 and fresh water were constantly before them. 



The grain ration consisted of 2 pounds cracked corn, 2 pounds wheat, 

 and I pound oats, having a nutritive ratio of i pound protein to 7.8 pounds 

 carbohydrates and fat. During the period between December 31, 1907, 



and March 10, 1908, oats were 

 omitted from the ration. 



The dry mash ration remained 

 constant throughout the year, con- 

 sisting of 6 pounds corn meal, 3 

 pounds wheat bran, 6 pounds wheat 

 middlings, i pound alfalfa meal, i 

 pound old process linseed oil meal, 

 and 5 pounds meat scrap of 65 per 

 cent protein. This mixture gives 

 a nutritive ratio of i pound protein to 1.8 pound carbohydrates and fat. 

 The grain and the mash were fed in the proportion of about four times as 

 much grain as mash. 



Fig. 162. — The type of pens in which 

 flocks II and ij, 12 and 14, 20 and 22, 

 and 21 and 2j were housed 



