CHAPTER XXX 



FEEDS FOR POULTRY 

 I. Carbonaceous Concentrates 



Because of the nature of their digestive tract, poultry can utilize 

 but little roughage, so important a part of the rations for horses, 

 cattle, and sheep. Indeed, poultry make even less use of feeds high 

 in fiber than do swine. The common cereals and their by-products are 

 usually bulky enough for poultry, and roughages have small place 

 in their rations, except when fed green for succulence. Since the 

 cereals are all rather low in protein, they should be supplemented by 

 protein-rich feeds, such as meat scrap, skim milk or buttermilk, wheat 

 bran, linseed meal, etc. 



Indian corn. — Corn is the chief grain fed to poultry in most parts 

 of this country, principally because they prefer it to all other cereals, 

 because it is rich in starch and fat, and because it is commonly the 

 cheapest source of digestible nutrients among the grains, from the corn 

 belt eastward. Since it is low in protein and mineral matter and is 

 also very concentrated, corn should not be fed alone, but should be 

 supplemented by bulkier feeds and those rich in the nutrients it lacks. 

 The low egg production of many farm flocks is undoubtedly often due 

 to the exclusive feeding of corn. Properly combined with feeds rich 

 in protein and mineral matter, especiall}^ calcium and phosphorus, and 

 fed with some bulky feed, such as green food or cut clover, corn 

 gives excellent results. Yellow corn produces darker colored yolks and 

 yellower body fat than white corn or the other cereals. 



Cracking or grinding corn does not increase its digestibility for 

 poultry, but many crack it to force the birds to take more exercise in 

 picking up a full meal. Except for chicks, the grain is coarsely 

 cracked. Corn meal is the foundation of most poultry mashes. 



Wheat; wheat screenings. — Wheat, commonly considered the best 

 single grain for poultry, is preferred by them to all other grain ex- 

 cept corn. Because of its high cost, it is not usually economical to 

 feed wheat as the chief grain, but a limited amount is an excellent 

 addition to the ration. Tho carrying more protein than corn, it should 

 be supplemented by protein-rich feeds. Soft wheat is more palatable 

 to poultry than that having hard kernels. Shrunken wheat, which is 



