PREPARATION OF FEEDS FOR POULTRY 



43 



"Making Sprouted Oats 



Sprouted oats, while not the first choice of green feed 

 lor poultry, are probably used by more poultry keepers 

 than anything else, because they can practically always 

 be produced, in any quantity desired, in a few days. All 

 that is necessary is to keep them moist and at a temper- 

 ate degree of heat. They may be sprouted in small 

 quantities in a box in the house or cellar in winter, or in 

 any convenient spot on the ground outdoors in spring 

 and summer. Where they are to be used regularly for any 

 considerable period, it is advisable to make systematic ar- 

 rangements for a continuous supply. This is easy out- 

 d^ors in summer. All that is necessary is to have a regu- 

 lar succession of plots of oats spread about an inch thick 

 on the ground and kept wet, each plot being of such 

 size as is required to furnish the oats needed for the 

 number of days intervening between the times of starting 

 plots. Where a great deal is used, the intervals may be 

 daily. Usually it is not best to have them longer than 

 three or four days, which admits of beginning to feed 

 from a plot when the green sprouts are of fair length, 

 and finishing it before they become too long, and the nu- 

 triment in the grain has all gone to stem and root. 



It should be kept in mind in preparing and using 

 sprouted oats, that the greatest value is not in their use 

 as green feed only, but in their use as a combination of 

 soft grain and green feed. In careful practical observa- 

 tions on the feeding value of sprouted oats at different 

 stages, one of the largest farrxs in America found that the 

 most economical way to use them is to feed when the 

 sprouts are about ar inch long. When it is more important 

 that they should provide green feed than that they should 

 give the greatest possible nutritive value from the grain, 

 they should not be fed until the sprouts are several inches 

 long; but the poultry feeder should plan to have larger 

 quantities to feed while comparatively short, rather than 

 to get the greatest bulk of green feed. Another advantage 

 in this is that the shorter the time of growth for the oats 

 used the less trouble there will be with the formation of 

 molds, which often are injurious to poultry. 



For sprouting oats indoors the most common prac- 

 tice is to use trays about 24 to 30 inches square and about 

 2 inches deep, arranging these on open racks or in closed 

 cabinets in tiers 12 to IS inches apart. The advantage of 

 the closed cabinet depends upon the temperature of the 

 place where the oats are sprouted. It can be heated with 

 a lamp or otherwise, and more rapid growth secured 

 where the room temperature is too low for quick growth. 

 While some poultry keepers make their own equipment 

 for sprouting oats, probably a far greater number buy 

 sprouters as made and sold by manufacturers of poultry 

 appliances. Poultry keepers who use a great deal of 

 sprouted oats sometimes devote a good-sized building to 

 the purpose, not placing the oats in many tiers as in the 

 small racks and cabinets, but using a wide bench about 30 

 inches high, and also the space under this on the floor. 

 This plan saves labor, but calls for more space and a 

 special building or' a large room devoted exclusively to 

 this work. Usually these oat-sprouting rooms are ar- 

 ranged so that hot water or steam heat can be used to 

 keep the place at the desired temperature. 



The common process in sprouting oats is to soak 

 them in water for twelve hours or more before spreading 

 them in the trays. The depth of the layer may vary from 

 an inch to about two inches. Where the depth is over an 

 inch it is necessary to stir the oats daily until the sprouts 

 are so long that this will break them off. In so thick a 

 mass the tendency is for those at the surface to dry much 



faster than those in the middle. The oats are sprinkled 

 daily, or oftener if it seems necessary. They must be 

 kept moist, but not too wet. 



The tendency to the formation of mold makes it ad- 

 visable to wash trays with a disinfectant before each lot 

 of oats is put into them. A solution of equal parts of for- 

 malin and water is commonly used for this purpose. 

 Making Baked Johnnycake for Chicks 



Johnnycake, whether of corn meal alone, or made of 

 a mixture of meals, is one of the best of chick feeds. The 

 trouble of making it precludes its use generally where 

 chicks are grown on a large scale. The advantage of using 

 it is greatest where the number of chicks is so small that 

 the amount of a moist mash they can eat while it re- 

 mains in good condition is not large enough to make it 

 worth while to bother with moist mash. A poultry keeper 

 who has a few broods of chicks with hens can bake a 

 cake that will last them for three or four days or more. 

 For any larger number of chicks bakings can be made at 

 as long or at shorter intervals, according to the size of 

 the flock and the amount that can be baked at one time. 

 Also the baking can be done when convenient, while the 

 mash must usually be mixed at stated intervals. 



Any woman who knows how to make a Johnnycake, or 

 corn bread, for the family table can make a good feed 

 for little chicks by the same recipe. It may be better than 

 is really necessary for the chicks, but since it will be good 

 chick feed there is no excuse for one who can make it 

 giving their little chicks feeds that are not giving satis- 

 factory results. When in doubt or in trouble with little 

 chicks, feed Johnnycake; is good advice for the novice. It 

 may not be economy or good policy to use it heavily-and 

 regularly, but it is the reliable stand-by in emergencies. 



Johnnycake as made for chicks can be of coarser ma- 

 terial, may have in it any infertile eggs that are not affect- 

 ed with rot, and may also have any table scraps that can 

 be readily mixed with the batter. The following recipes 

 are given for Johnnycake for poultry feed: 



No. 1 Corn meal, 1 quart; infertile eggs, 1 or 2; baking 

 soda, 1 teaspoon. If eggs are not available use double 

 the quantity of soda. Mix with sour milk to a stiff 

 batter, and bake well. 



No. 2 Take 1 pint of corn meal, 1 teacup of wheat bran, 

 1 teaspoon of meat meal, 1 teaspoon of soda, 1 tea- 

 cup of cold water. Mix thoroughly, and bake 2 hours. 



No. 3 Take 3 quarts of corn meal, 1 quart of wheat mid- 

 dlings, 1 cup of meat meal. Mix with water or skimmed 

 milk to which add 4 tablespoons of vinegar and 2 tea- 

 spoons of soda. 



No. 4 Add a little soda to sour milk about a teaspoonful 

 to the pint of milk. Stir in coarse corn meal and 

 ground oats in equal parts to make stiff batter, add one 

 infertile egg, broken shell and all, for each pint of 

 batter. Bake in deep pans well greased. 



No. 5 Cornell Johnnycake. 4 pounds of corn meal, 1% Ibs. 

 (1 dozen) of infertile eggs, 6 pounds (2% quarts) of 

 sour milk, 5 level teaspoons of baking soda. Stir 

 thoroughly and bake well. 



It will be noted that the proportions of eggs in the 

 different recipes vary greatly. This point is usually regu- 

 lated by the available supply of eggs for the purpose. 

 Within these limits the more eggs the richer and lighter 

 the cake. 



Mixing Dry Mashes and Scratching Mixtures 



Small lots of dry mash or of fine grains may be mixed 

 in mechanical mixers of convenient and appropriate size. 

 Large batches usually are mixed with shovels on a smooth 

 board or cement floor. Any spot swept clean will do. The 

 mixing can be done with scoop shovels, for the dry stuffs 

 are much easier to handle and mix than wet. The job 

 should be thoroughly done in order that the mash as dis- 

 tributed to the poultry may be uniform in quality and 

 composition. After mixing, the mash is either bagged 

 or put in bins from which it is taken as required, or is 

 perhaps, distributed at once to the feeding hoppers. 



