28 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



fPub. Doc. 



This gives a cost per square foot of floor space of $0.22. 

 A cost per running foot of house of $4.44. 

 A cost per bird, allowing 4 square feet per bird, of $0,888. 

 Adding labor to tins at one-foiu-th the cost of material, the total cost is 

 $222.36, or $1.11 per bird. 



Environment is one of the great factors in production. The 

 essentials of a suitable environment have been outlined. The 

 importance of these factors cannot be too strongly stated. An 

 appreciation of the fact that it is the healthy, contented, well- 

 fed, singing hen that lays at a profit will do much towards 

 insuring success from the beginning. 



VII. Practice an Efficient Feeding Practice. 



The following is the New Jersey State dry mash with the 

 supplemental rations which are designed for the complete 

 feeding of laying hens throughout the winter. Such modifica- 

 tions as are necessary for summer feeding for different breeds 

 are also described. 



Dry Mash. 



Kind of Food. 



Amount 

 by Weight 

 (Pounds). 



Amount 



by Measure 



(Quarts). 



Wheat bran, 

 Wheat middlings, 

 Ground oats, 

 Corn meal, . 

 Gluten feed. 

 Alfalfa, 

 Meat scrap, . 

 Total, . 



200 

 200 

 100 

 100 

 100 

 100 

 200 



1,000 



380 

 240 

 100 

 95 

 80 

 200 

 176 



1,271 



This mash should be kept before the birds all of the time 

 in large, self-feeding hoppers. During the molting season in 

 the fall it is desirable to substitute oil meal for the gluten 

 meal in the same proportion, to hasten the growth of feathers. 

 As soon as the birds get on the green grass range the alfalfa 

 can be gradually omitted and the meat scrap slightly reduced 

 in amount. The extent to which the above mash can be cut 

 during the summer will depend upon the character and amount 

 of the range which is allowed the birds. 



