426 



THE ESSENTIALS OF AGRICULTURE 



563. The scratching feed and the mash. The whole or 

 cracked grain portion of the ration is usually spoken of as the 

 scratching feed, because it is scattered in a deep litter of straw, so 

 that the birds will have to take plenty of exercise in scratching it 

 out. The ground part of the ration is usually referred to as mash. 

 It may be moistened with sour milk or with water, or it may be 



FIG. 219. White Wyandottes 



fed dry. Dry mash is usually fed from a hopper, so that the 

 chickens may help themselves at will. 



In the spring, if the chickens are allowed to have the run 

 of the farm, besides being able to get bugs and worms in abun- 

 dance, they can also pick up tender, green vegetation in many 

 forms. The fact that these two kinds of feed are plentiful at 

 that time of year is one of the reasons why hens lay more eggs 

 in the spring of the year than during the fall and winter. Hens 

 depend on good pasture a great deal more than is generally 



