GENERAL FACTORS IN POULTRY FEEDING 



Fowls eat almost any tender grass and weeds. They 

 eat all kinds of common grain and most large weed 

 seeds, but little grass seed or small weed seeds. Even 

 small chickens are not at all keen for grass and weed 

 seeds so small that old fowls pass them by. Fowls eat 

 most kinds of insects and worms that are large enough 

 to be readily visible, but seem quite indifferent to the 

 very -small insects that attack vegetation. They do not, 

 as far as the writer has observed, eat ants, but they are 

 fond of "ant eggs." They also are fond of nearly all 

 kinds of fruit and vegetables the only popular article^ of 

 human food in this line which they do not like being 

 beans. 



Feeding Habits of Turkeys 



Turkeys are much less domestic by nature than fowls. 

 Being larger, and requiring more feed, and having also the 

 same reluctance in consuming small bits of nutriment, tur- 



the nearest water and remain there all day. Nor will they 

 be particular about coming home at night. Their natural 

 feed is the small animal life they find in the water, and 

 especially along the margins of ponds and streams. With 

 this they eat a great deal of coarse and tender green 

 stuff. They probably get little grain in wild life, yet in 

 domestication they can stand a heavy diet of ground 

 grain. 



Feeding Habits of Geese 



Geese, so like ducks in appearance that people who do 

 not know both well often find it difficult to distinguish 

 between large ducks and small geese, are the most herbi- 

 vorous of poultry. They can live entirely on grass and 

 similar green forage, with such animal feed as they may 

 get from their range. While they prefer marshy land and 

 access to the water, they will thrive on any good pasture. 

 They like grain, and make their greatest growth when 





A NEW ENGLAND INTENSIVE POULTRY FARM WHITE BIRCH POULTRY YARDS, BRIDGEWATER, MASS. 



The houses for laying-breeding fowls are in the background at the right. The small houses at : the .left ; are 

 for breeding ducks. In the middle foreground and center are brooders for young chickens; the colony houses across 

 the rear are for weaned chicks. Small fruit trees may be seen in all yards. 



keys range much more widely than fowls. They have not 

 the same attachment for home, and when foraging is poor 

 on their accustomed range they are inclined to wander 

 away, looking for a better feeding ground. This habit 

 makes them especially valuable in the destruction of 

 grasshoppers and other insects which often come in great 

 numbers and move rapidly over large areas. Insects and 

 grain, with some tender vegetation, are their principal 

 diet. They will eat most of the things that fowls eat, 

 but their wanderlust generally leads them to the big 

 pasture fields and woods, leaving the products of gardens 

 and orchards to their less enterprising neighbors. 



Feeding Habits of Ducks 



Ducks are the most carnivorous of our domestic 

 birds. They are inclined to be as domestic as fowls 

 provided the dooryard affords them an opportunity to 

 dabble in water. Otherwise they will, if at liberty, seek 



given a liberal grain ration with unstinted green feed. 

 They will go long distances to feed, but almost invariably 

 come home long before nightfall. 



The foregoing general statements of the feeding 

 habits of fowls, turkeys, ducks, and geese show how these 

 different kinds of poultry are adapted to the utilization 

 of feeds which generally are not consumed by or not 

 .available to other kinds of farm live stock, and how, 

 'while using such wastes, they also do good service in 

 destroying all kinds of insect pests. In all arrangements 

 for poultry on farms, therefore, the first thing considered 

 should be the possible service of poultry in these matters. 

 This is in most cases limited by the necessity for pro- 

 tecting the birds from natural enemies. Yet it usually is 

 possible to do much more in this direction than is com- 

 monly done, and it makes the problems of feeding poultry 

 on the farm much easier, and the profits correspondingly 

 gi eater and more satisfactory. 



