608 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. . 



food. It should always be fed in the cracked or ground state. The 

 ground corn can be fed to best advantage in mashes with other grains, 

 while cracked corn gives best results, especially when fed to laying hens, 

 when it is scattered in the litter, as the hens must scratch for the same, 

 thus securing exercise. Buckwheat partakes somewhat of the nature of 

 corn and is a good fattening food. In order to accustom hens to it it is 

 well to boil it the first two or three times. After that they will usually 

 take to it readily. 



Bran and shorts both serve an excellent purpose in a poultry ration, in 

 that besides furnishing growing material they tend to keep the digestive 

 system in a good, healthy condition. 



Oats with the hulls on are somewhat bulky, and on this account are not 

 so desirable, but when hulled the oat grain for growing or fattening 

 poultry gives excellent results. It causes a development of firm flesh 

 which is so desirable in all poultry markets. 



Barley, on account of its coarse hulls, is better to be ground and fed 

 in mashes with other grains. It, too, is somewhat of a fattening food, 

 thus should not be used extensively in the feeding of the laying flock. 

 Cooked barley, fed occasionally during the winter season, gives good 

 results. 



Peas are used extensively in the fattening of poultry. For laying pur- 

 poses they are not very desirable. For fattening purposes cooked pea 

 meal has few equals. 



There are many seeds, too, around the farm that can be used to good 

 advantage in the feeding of poultry. It should always be kept in mind 

 that variety in the rations is the secret of much of the success in poultry 

 feeding. 



Oi'it.- — As a hen has no teeth, her food is masticated in what we call 

 the gizzard. This is a strong muscular sack with a strong membraneous 

 lining. This sack contains numerous small, sharp, hard stones, which 

 serve to crush and grind up the food that must pass through it. When 

 hens are confined they should be furnished with gravel or some other 

 substance from which they can secure the necessary "grit" with which 

 to grind food. 



Pure fresh water should be supplied in abundance at all times. 



In conclusion, the writer must again urge the importance of supplying 

 plenty of protein and ash compounds. 



CARE OF THE CHICKS. 



J. F. Scfiureman, Editor Comercial Poultry. 



It would almost seem that at this day and age it would be superfluous 

 to try to advance any now thoughts, methods or theories in regard to the 

 proper care of the young chicks. It would seem that after the years of 

 careful investigation and thought that have been given the subject it would 

 be thoroughly mastered and that there would be no need for further 

 investigation or discussion. But such is not the case, by any means. 

 In fact there is not today a subject pertaining to poultry culture that 



