Feeding the Hen. 109 



the latter requires more carbon to support it ; and what in a 

 Brahma goes to fat, in a Leghorn is used up" in movement. 

 For this reason green food, while necessary for all breeds, is 

 indispensable for those of a sluggish temperament, and for the 

 same reason it would be impossible to give a standard ration 

 for a flock composed of several different breeds, differing so 

 widely in disposition as the Asiatic and the Mediterranean 

 classes, though if a flock consisted of similar fowls of differ- 

 ent breeds for example, of Hamburgs, Polish and Leghorns, 

 there would be no special difficulty in feeding all alike. H. S. 

 BABCOCK. 



Disadvantages of " All Corn." In my experience an exclu- 

 sive corn diet has given small bones, diseased livers, dull 

 plumage in young growing stock, even when they have had a 

 large grass run. Those fed on mixed grain have made as good 

 growth and been perfectly healthy. A Leghorn will stand 

 more corn than a Brahma. The active laying breeds will 

 stand heavier feeding without eating their eggs than the larger 

 breeds. The amount of food must be regulated for a Brahma, 

 while a Leghorn can be trusted to eat all she will, at least 

 when laying. From habit I should think green food more 

 necessary for the active breeds ; they certainly eat more when 

 allowed to run at large ; but this may be no criterion to judge 

 by. Throw down a lot of mixed grain, and they will eat, first, 

 the corn ; second, the wheat ; then the oats, and last, the buck- 

 wheat ; yet I think the oats give the best results. The bens 

 get tired of any one mixture, or single-grain ration, and need 

 a change according to season, age or environments. I con- 

 clude that the nearest to a standard ration which one could 

 get would be a mixed one. The larger portion should be bran, 

 oats and wheat, there being only corn enough to keep the 

 fowls warm. Green food, shell material and pure water 

 should be liberally supplied. C. E. CHAPMAN. 



Hard to Fatten a Leghorn. The kind of food that will 

 cause one breed to lay an abundance of eggs will produce the 

 same result in another. But, if Leghorns have an abundance 



