256 ELEMENTARY TREATISE ON STOCK FEEDS AND FEEDING 



Discussion of the Table. The analyses of the fowls include the 

 whole body (bones, feathers, blood, etc.) and not the clean fowl 

 of the market. Of the ash of eggs, 53.7 per cent, is phosphoric 

 acid and 0.2 per cent, of that portion which is eaten, is phos- 

 phoric acid. As in animals, a great deal of water is present in 

 the body. Eggs are also made up largely of water. This fact 

 indicates the necessity for furnishing fowls with a continual and 

 fresh supply of pure water. The large amount of ash in eggs 

 shows us that laying fowls require comparatively large amounts 

 of this material for the construction of good eggs. Poultry kept 

 in houses closely confined must be supplied with mineral con- 

 stituents in some form. 



The table also shows that fowls contain considerable protein 

 in their bodies and that eggs are largely composed of this com- 

 pound. Often the food of poultry consists of the wastes from 

 the kitchen and dairy and may sometimes be deficient in this 

 nutrient for the welfare of laying and breeding fowls. 



Some of the principal feeds suitable for poultry will now be 

 discussed. 



Corn. This feed is found in many poultry rations and hens 

 relish this grain. It is a fattening food and should not be fed 

 alone. For laying hens it should be fed in limited quantities 

 and some fowls like the general purpose and Asiatics, which 

 easily fatten, will get so fat on this grain that they will not lay. 

 The Mediterraneans (Leghorns and other egg breeds) are not 



1 Female more than one year old is called a hen. 

 Female less than one year old is called a pullet. 

 Male more than one year old is called a cock. 

 Male less than one year old is called a cockerel. 

 A castrated male chicken is called a capon. 



