194 Farm Poultry 



The whole grain should be fed once or twice a 

 day and scattered in the litter during the cold 

 months or whenever the fowls do not have ample 

 opportunity to take exercise out-of-doors. This 

 grain may be scattered in the litter and given 

 in such quantity that the fowls will eat it up clean. 

 In fact, they should not be given quite all they 

 want to eat. They should be made to scratch over 

 the litter and pick out the last kernels. At night, 

 about an hour before they go on the perches, the 

 last meal of the day may be given them. This 

 should be given in such quantities that it will all 

 be consumed and still afford the fowls about all 

 they care to eat. In other words, they should go 

 on the perches at night with full crops. During 

 the night they have nothing to do except to digest 

 and assimilate the evening meal. 



Litter. Straw, either cut or whole, makes a 

 good litter for poultry houses for both winter and 

 summer. Hay may also be used for this purpose 

 if it is more convenient or cheaper than straw. 

 Buckwheat hulls are preferred by many on account 

 of cheapness.. In the vicinity of mills, where large 

 quantities of buckwheat are floured, buckwheat 

 hulls may be obtained cheaply. Shredded corn 

 fodder makes satisfactory litter, although it is 

 somewhat more expensive and answers the purpose 

 no better than straw. During the winter months, 

 the floor of the poultry house should be covered 



