

Food and Exercise 159 



shoots of grass and other plants. They find 

 meat food in the form of insects, worms and 

 other low forms of animal life. These, with 

 grain in some form, make a most perfect food 

 for laying hens. If the grain food is not sup- 

 plied to them by the poultry -keeper, they may 

 still find it in the form of seeds of various 

 plants. In other words, it should be the aim 

 of the poultry -keeper to supply the food and 

 conditions which tend to produce eggs most 

 abundantly. While it is true that the physical 

 organization of fowls is such that they will be 

 unable to maintain throughout the year the abun- 

 dant supply of eggs of the springtime, yet this 

 will be most nearly approached if the conditions 

 are springlike the year round. 



Exercise. In the spring season the fowls that 

 are given free range obtain abundant exercise. 

 It is important to provide exercise for all noted 

 egg breeds, as these fowls are active in dispo- 

 sition. Close confinement without exercise is 

 not conducive to the best results, although the 

 quality and quantity of food provided may be 

 most excellent. While exercise is required for 

 egg production, it is not desirable when the fin- 

 est quality of meat is sought, particularly during 

 the last of the fattening period, so that what 

 may be said of exercise for egg production 

 should not be applied to fattening fowls. 



