FEEDS FOR POULTRY 397 



unfit for flour making and is hence cheaper, is richer in protein and 

 fully as valuable for feeding as plump wheat. 



Wheat screenings, when of good quality and not musty or smutted, 

 are satisfactory for poultry. The value depends on the proportion of 

 shrunken wheat and weed seeds to worthless trash. 



Oats. — Due to the large amount of fiber in the hulls, oats rank 



Fig. 113. — Poultry Raising Fits into Intensive Agriculture 



The truck gardener or the fruitgrower can often increase his profits by raising 

 poultry. The illustration shows chickens ranging on land planted to corn and 

 young fruit trees. (From Indiana Station.) 



below corn or wheat for supplying nutrients. They are also usually 

 costly compared with corn and are not well relished by poultry. 

 However, mixed with other concentrates, they are useful in giving bulk 

 to the ration and adding variety. Plump, heavy oats should be used 

 for poultry as the hulls are almost worthless for them. Whole oats 

 or clipped oats are often fed as part of the scratch feed, rolled oats 

 and pin-head oat meal are favorite feeds for baby chicks, and hulled 

 oats are esteemed for older chicks. As pointed out later in this chap- 

 ter, sprouted oats are an excellent succulent feed. 



Barley. — Tho less palatable than corn or wheat, barley is an ex- 

 cellent grain for poultry, being nearly equal to these grains in feeding 

 value. In sections of the West it is the most common grain for poul- 

 try. 



