Quantity of Food. 33 



M. Reaumur made many careful experiments upon the 

 feeding of fowls, and among them found that they were 

 much more easily satisfied than might be supposed from the 

 greedy voracity which they exhibit when they are fed, and 

 that the sorts of food most easily digested by them are 

 those of which they eat the greatest quantity. 



No definite scale can be given for the quantity of food 

 which fowls require, as it must necessarily vary with the 

 different breeds, sizes, ages, condition, and health of the 

 fowls ; and with the seasons of the year, and the tempera- 

 ture of the season, much more food being necessary to keep 

 up the proper degree of animal heat in winter than in 

 summer ; and the amount of seeds, insects, vegetables, and 

 other food that they may pick up in a run of more or less 

 extent. Over-feeding, whether by excess of quantity or 

 excess of stimulating constituents, is the cause of the most 

 general diseases, the greater proportion of these diseases, 

 and of most of the deaths from natural causes among 

 fowls. When fowls are neither laying well nor moulting, 

 they should not be fed very abundantly ; for in such a state 

 over-feeding, especially with rich food, may cause them 

 to accumulate too much fat. A fat hen ceases to la}^, or 

 nearly, while an over-fed cock becomes lazy and useless, 

 and may die of apoplexy. 



But half-fed fowls never pay whether kept for the table 

 or to produce eggs. A fowl cannot get fat or make an Qg^ 

 a day upon little or poor food. A hen producing eggs will 

 eat nearly twice as much food as at another time. In cold 

 weather give plenty of dry bread soaked in ale. 



Poultry prefer to pick their food off" the ground. '' No 

 plan," says Mr. Baily, ^'is so extravagant or so injurious as 

 to throw down heaps once or twice per day. They should 

 have it scattered as far and wide as possible, that the birds 

 may be long and healthily employed in finding it, and may 

 not accomplish in a few minutes that which should occupy 

 them for hours. For this reason every sort of feeder or 

 hopper is bad. It is the nature of fowls to take a grain at 

 a time, and to pick grass and dirt with it, Avhich assist 

 digestion. They should feed as pheasants, partridges, 



D 



