Grains and Succulent Food 165 



any other single grain, particularly if the hull 

 or outer covering is removed. This hull, being 

 tough and woody and quite indigestible, is not 

 relished by the fowls, although some fowls will 

 learn to eat whole oats. Oats also tend to give 

 the fowl light-colored flesh and light-colored skin. 

 On this account oats are not recommended for a 

 finishing food, unless skin and shanks of a light 

 color are desired. 



Linseed meal. A little linseed meal in the 

 ground food serves a most valuable purpose, 

 particularly at the moulting period. "Hens hav- 

 ing linseed meal moulted nearly all at the same 

 time, earlier in the season, and more rapidly." * 



Green food in general. When fowls are some- 

 what closely confined in yards or pens, it will 

 be necessary to supply some kind of green food 

 in order to obtain the greatest production of 

 eggs. This should be given them throughout 

 the year. The question of how to supply the 

 best food at the least cost is one that each 

 poultry -keeper must decide largely for himself. 

 It will probably make very little difference what 

 kind of green food is supplied, provided that it 

 is relished by the fowls. If the runs or yards are 

 large, so that fresh grass may be supplied to 

 them during the summer months, little or no 

 other green food will be required. 



* Bulletin No. 39, New York Agricultural Experiment Station. 



