Freshly Ground Grains the Best 



As soon as the grain is broken it begins to deteriorate in food 

 value. The longer grains have been ground, the less the food value 

 and less palatable. Newly ground grain is much more palatable. For 

 best results dry mashes should be made from freshly ground grains. 

 Then these grains should be coarsely ground, for hens naturally like 

 the larger particles and the finer it is ground the quicker it deteriorates. 

 I would have no grains ground into a flour. I would not have wheat 

 and corn broken any finer than we usually make it for chick feeds, and 

 then you can be sure it will be relished and eaten clean. Ready mixed 

 dry mashes that are mixed months in advance are the most useless of 

 poultry feeds. The food value deteriorates and the palatability is 

 much lessened, and besides, that mixed with beef scrap becomes more 

 or less rancid until ptomaine poisoning ofttimes happens. I think 

 there is more trouble from dry mashes that have been mixed for a 

 long period than from any other cause, for the hens do not like them. 

 They are the least savory. Grind some fresh feed and see how the hens 

 go for it. I would prefer grains ground not more than three weeks. 

 The dry feed hoppers can be filled once in three or four weeks from new 

 grindings. The fresher the better. Nature placed a hull around the 

 grain kernel to preserve it, and as soon as that is broken oxidation 

 sets in. The volatile parts escape and it is less savory and the appetite 

 is a good indicator of food values. 



Each poultryman can have his own grinder and thus be able to 

 have newly ground feeds at any time. Better still, each community of 

 poultrymen could have its own warehouse for poultry supplies and 

 have its own grinder and mixer. It is obvious that the poor quality of 

 grains go to make up the so-called poultry feeds that are ready mixed. 

 By grinding your own grains, good quality is assured. A community 

 of poultrymen organized in a way to buy grain in quantity and mix 

 their own feed are in a position to get maximum results. In my 

 neighborhood, we have organized a warehouse association and will 

 build our own warehouse and install a grinder and mixer. Any person 

 in the association can have freshly ground grains in the dry mash 

 at all times. 



This will insure a better quality of feed at a minimum cost. 



Composition of a Good Dry Mash 



The dry mash that has given me best results after fourteen years 

 experimenting, is as follows: 



Four parts medium cracked wheat. 



One part medium cracked corn (Indian corn or maize.) 



One part good quality dried beef scrap. 



One-fourth part soy bean meal (coarse ground). 



One-fourth part oil cake meal (linseed). 



One-fourth part charcoal. 



The hens relish this mixture and will eat it up clean and will eat 

 almost the same proportion as of the mixed grains if kept before them. 

 This mixture will feed down any good dry feed hopper, without 

 clogging or caking. It is essential to have a good pattern hopper for 

 dry feed, for it saves much labor and serves the hens. 



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