340 



PRODUCTIVE FEEDING OF FARM ANIMALS 



The foregoing applies to ducks, turkeys, etc., as well as chickens. 



Feeding standards are not in any way iron-bound, but they are 

 valuable guides to the feeder in aiding him to mix rations which 

 many years of careful feeding investigations, borne out by practical 

 experience, have found to be most suitable to the needs of poultry. 



Growth. The growing chick requires quite a large amount of 

 protein in its feed to build the new bone, muscle and feathers 

 which develop as growth goes on. 



Laying. The laying hen, on the other hand, has stopped 

 growing, and less protein in the ration is needed to repair the con- 



FIG. 98. Farm poultry colony house, 8x10 feet, capacity 25 to 30 birds. 



stantly breaking-down body tissue, but for the production of eggs 

 proteid material is required in considerable amounts for the making 

 of albumen, so that a laying hen requires almost as narrow a ration 

 as growing stock. 



Fattening. The mature fowl that is being fattened for market 

 should be fed a wider ration than laying or growing stock as it is 

 being fed largely for the purpose of developing fatty tissue. Such 

 fowls are fed only enough protein to repair body waste and supply 

 sufficient extra protein material to lay on some new meat tissue 

 mixed in with the fat so that the resulting carcass will be juicy and 

 well marbled. To properly fatten, a fowl must lay on a mixture 

 of lean meat and fatty tissue; if lacking in fat well interspersed 



