IV. FEEDING EXPERIMENT8 WITH LAYING HENS.* 



During the summer chicks were hatched and young fowls 

 grown for use in a breeding experiment, which is being conducted 

 with laying stock. 



The results obtained in a feeding experiment with laying hens 

 have been published in a bulletin. The substance of this publi- 

 cation, with addition of some data omitted from the condensed 

 bulletin, which gave only the general result, follows: 



Summary. 



(1) Two pens of laying hens, one of a large and the other of a 

 small breed, having a ration the grain of which was whole, ate 

 during their second year somewhat more food at a little greater 

 cost than two similar pens having a ration in which half the 

 grain was ground and moistened. 



(2) Cochin hens, having the whole grain ration laid much better 

 than those having the ground grain, altliough neither lot laid at 

 a profitable rate during the second year. 



(3) Leghorn hens having a ration in which the grain was whole 

 consumed on the average for two years over twenty per cent 

 more food for the same egg production than did similar hens hav- 

 ing half the grain in their ration ground and moistened. The 

 hens having whole grain had on the average for two years 6.4 

 pounds of water-free food for every pound of eggs produced. 

 Those having ground grain had on the average for the two years 

 .5.3 i>i)UiHis of water-free food for evory ])ound of eggs produced. 



Lntroduction. 



For most ])oultry as commonly kept, grain constitutes the 

 larger part of the food. The manner of feeding varies with the 

 individual and opinions differ considerably as to the form in 

 which the grain should be fed for most profitable results. The 

 most general practice of experienced poultrymen is that of feed- 



* Pabliahed in part in Bulletin No. 106. 



