u 



THE GENESEE FAnMEE. 



THE JTUMBSK OF POUNDS IN A EUSEEL, 



The following Table of Weights, obtained by a 

 firm in this citj from the Secretaries of the different 

 States, showing the cumber of pounds which their 



laws recognise as a bushel of the following article^ 

 will be of value for reference. 



All States not iLcluded in the table, as well as 

 the blanks, are regulated by the United Ktatts 

 standard : 



FEED FOR POULTRY. 



Neither fowls, nor anything else, can prosper unless 

 well cared for. No observant person could have the 

 charge of fowls for a month, and not be fully aware, 

 at the expiration of that period, that the growth of 

 the chickea, the accumulation of flesh, and the pro- 

 duction of eggs may be best proriioted by a judicious 

 adaptation of the food to the object specially in view. 

 That; without good shelter for our birds, the con- 

 sumption of food is also increased in proportion to 

 the carbon thus exhausted, will be soon manifested to 

 the dullest intellect. 



Grain of different kinds forming the main article of 

 our poultry's feed, at the present high prices M-ould 

 seem to indicate increased inquiry as to the relative 

 value of each for that purpose. 



In estimating the comparative value of the numer- 

 ous items which are more or less a portion of our 

 fowls' " bill of fare," let us take Indian corn as our 

 standard. Now the present price of this grain is 87^ 

 cents; barley $1 25; buckwheat 80 cents, and oats 

 GO cents per bushel. Oats at this price, (30 Bbs. to 

 the bushel,) wo would not recommend, excepting 

 where seme change of diet appears necessary ; but 

 while the relative prices of corn stand as above, we 

 should not be found among the purchasers of oats, to 

 ba given whole, however useful in the form of meal, 

 or crushed. 



Tke existence of fowls would be of short duration 

 were they confined, or limited to one single kind of 

 food, hDwever excellent of its kind; this would neces- 

 sf\rily imply a state of confinement for the experiment, 

 for a large variety would always be at hand. Many 

 artMes most useful for a change would, if given con- 

 tinuously, prove highly injurious, such as wheat, pea- 

 meal, or animal food; while others, such as barley and 

 crushed oat-e, harmless in themselves, would either be 

 refuBed, or else, if taken, disorder the natural functions 

 of the body. 



But thoug^i wheat is a dearer article than barley 

 it ismost useful at certain periods; fer colLir-g ex- 



ceeds it for laying on fiesh, and forming muscle for 

 young birds. 



Barley sprouted, and malt mixed, could, occasion- 

 ally, be given with excellent effect; and it is excellent 

 for poultry of all ages- — and so is brewers grains, iJ 

 given fresh and hot. Buckwheat must be of the veij 

 best, for samples any way stale, will be rejected; in- 

 deed, we have found our poultry dainty about it even 

 when accustomed to it when young; but many 

 breeders find it otherwise, and use large quantities of 

 this grain, which, when boiled, appears to be moiH; 

 highly esteemed. 



Indian corn, whole or cracked, the latter probably 

 is most profitable shape, we consider the most 600* 

 nomical, and most highly esteemed. 



Whenever flesh is to form a portion of the food of 

 our poultry, we should prefer giving it boiled, and 

 not in a raw slate. 



Poultry eat a great variety of food : all kinds ol 

 grain, and seeds, and preparations made from them; 

 also, most sorts of vegetables, raw or boiled; and, it 

 is well-known, they are fond of a certain quantity of 

 animal food, raw or cooked — insects and worms, 

 grulis and maggots, they search for and devour with 

 avidity, and some persons collect these on purpose for 

 them. Wheat middlings, shorts, bran, corn and oat 

 meal are useful, and are profitably given in combina- 

 tions, particu'arly with boiled or steamed potatoes, in 

 which form they afford a cheap supply of very nour- 

 ishing food; but it is essential not only that these 

 should be boiled or steamed, but that they are given 

 warm, for fowls dislike them if given to them cold. 

 In most houses there are many scraps, and refuse, 

 that will serve for fowls, such as crumbs of bread, 

 fragments of pies and puddings, and even bits of 

 meat, and fish, and vegetables, such as lettuce, endive 

 cabbage, spinach, chickweed and grass. 



Fowls do not judge so much by taste and smell as 

 by the eye in distinguishing their food, which, when, 

 first swallowed, passes into their crops, and after being 

 there macerated, goes into the funnel-stomach, and 

 then into the cizzard, in which it is triturated, or 

 ground, as in a mill, which appears to answer the 



