AMERICAN POULTRY CULTURE 



equal parts of wheat, oats, barley, and peas; an- 

 other is oats, wheat, buckwheat and corn, using 

 about half as much of each of the latter two as of 

 the former two. 



As previously intimated, any combination may 

 be used, so long as the correct proportion is main- 

 tained. It is a good plan to have several different 

 combinations, changing the bill of fare each day, 

 as desirable variations in the diet stimulate the 

 appetite and promote the general health. 



In making up a grain ration, the properties of 

 the other foods animal and vegetable foods 

 should also be taken into consideration, as they, 

 too, exert quite an influence. Do not overlook this 

 point. 



The Benefits of Exercise. Grain should always 

 be fed in litter of some kind, so that the birds will 

 have to scratch and hunt to get it out. It is a good 

 plan to keep the floor of the poultry house covered 

 to a depth of a foot or more with cut clover hay, 

 straw, dry leaves, or some other loose material. 

 Nothing has a more pronounced favorable effect 

 upon the thrift and general health of a flock of 

 fowls during the winter months than plenty of 

 good exercise in a fresh, invigorating atmosphere. 

 Scratching apartments in the poultry house, cov- 

 ered with plenty of good litter, are all that is 

 necessary. 



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