Feeding the Hen. m 



agreed that it is excellent. M. S. Perkins, writing from Massa- 

 chusetts, says: "After the bone is broken small enough to 

 admit of its reception by the hopper of the cutter, no difficulty 

 will be encountered in the reduction of the hardest shin-bone 

 to pieces sufficiently small to be greedily devoured by all kinds 

 of poultry. The ducks and geese as well as the hens are very 

 fond of it. Of course, turning the wheel is very laborious 

 work, especially if it is long continued, or the bone is very 

 hard, but then we must expect to toil if we would accomplish 

 anything. It does the work required in an efficient manner, 

 and is all that could be desired for ordinary establishments 

 keeping from 100 to 200 fowls, or less. Cut bone I consider a 

 very excellent poultry-food. It contains much fatty animal 

 matter as well as mineral constituents, such as the phosphates 

 and carbonates of lime, which latter must materially assist in 

 building up a healthy framework in the case of young growing 

 chicks, as well as in supplying egg-shell material for fowls of 

 maturer age. Grain for the last year has been phenome- 

 nally high, and judging by the present outlook, prices are not 

 likely to drop much during the ensuing season ; therefore, I 

 advocate feeding two or three times a week all the fowls desire 

 to eat of this food, considering it cheaper at half, a cent per 

 pound than grain, and a much better stimulant to egg-produc- 

 tion. Renderers in this locality charge 40 cents per 100 

 pounds for bones. There is no trouble getting a sufficient sup- 

 ply for this purpose. Every butcher's cart, provision store or 

 slaughtering-house has an abundance for sale. The cut bone 

 may be mixed with soft food or be given separately by itself. 

 It is really immaterial in what way it is fed, provided it be 

 given in a liberal supply." 



The Color of the Yelk. The color of the yelk of an egg is 

 influenced more by the food and condition of the fowl than by 

 anything else. At least that is my experience. It has been a 

 favorite claim with some breeders of Brahmas and other 

 Asiatic fowls, that the eggs from their pets have richer yelks, 

 but I have bought eggs of the same breeds that contained very 



