FOURTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK — PART VII. 515 



FARM POULTRY IN WINTER. 



Galliis Bankiva, in Breeders' Gazette. 



There is no good reason' why the average farmer should be com- 

 pelled to go without fresh eggs from his own flock of fowls during the 

 winter months, although undoubtedly he does so. No man is in a better 

 position to so keep his hens that they will lay in winter than the farmer, 

 but it is to be feared the average farmer looks upon his fowls as more of 

 a necessary nuisance than as a source of revenue. TJiis being his view, 

 he does not give them the care they should have if they are to produce 

 eggs during the months when they are highest in price, because scarcesi 

 in number. 



Without going into the question of breeds it may safely be said that 

 proper housing and proper feeding will induce any flock of hens to pro- 

 duce eggs enough to pay much more than their way during the months 

 when they do not as a rule pay anything to their owner. Most farmers 

 produce on their own farms everything necessary to promote the pro- 

 duction of eggs. The very best single grain we have for laying hens is 

 corn, but if this is made the exclusive feed the number of eggs produced 

 will be small. Wheat and oats are both good feeds to promote egg-pro- 

 duction and a ration composed of one fourth corn, one half wheat and 

 one fourth oats makes a very satisfactory feed for the whole grain part 

 of the ration. If to this is added a feed of bran or shorts, mixed with 

 hot water so as to make a crumbly mass for the morning feed the grain 

 part of the feed will be complete. To the grain should be added cooked 

 vegetables of some kind. It does not matter what vegetables are used. 

 Potatoes, turnips, beets, cabbage, apples or any other vegetable feeds that 

 may be at hand are greedily eaten by fowls and help to promote egg- 

 production. These vegetables may be cooked and mixed with the bran 

 mash, the whole being salted about as it would be for our own consump- 

 tion, for laying hens, and in fact all fowls, need salt as much as does 

 other farm stock. To these feeds should be added milk or meat. Milk, 

 while not a perfect substitute for meat, is a good egg-food, and it does 

 not matter in what form it is fed. It may ue sweet or sour, and butter- 

 milk is fully as valuable for this purpose as skimmilk. 



Meat is the best egg-food that can be given hens during the winter 

 when insects and worms are not to be found, and this is sold in the shape 

 of beef-scrap or beef-meal at a price that makes it a very cheap feed 

 for the flock of laying hens. Given the above feedstuff s and sharp grit 

 or gravel and water in plentiful supply, hens will lay at any time in the 

 year if they are kept comfortably housed. 



It is easy to tind formulas for mixing feeds for hens, but after an 

 experience of years I believe results will bear me out in saying that the 

 greater the variety of feeds given to laying hens the better they will 

 produce. Sorghum seed, millet, broom com seed, Kaffir corn and the 

 seeds from the litter taken from the barn floor are all good poultry feeds. 



