FOOD OF .POULTRY 153 



edly pays best. A caution is necessary, however, against 

 depending for the support even of poultry not designed for fat- 

 tening, on such precarious resources. Fowls should be fed 

 with punctuality, faithfulness and discretion. 



Poultry are fond of all sorts of grain, such as Indian corn, 

 wheat, oats, rye, buckwheat, barley, millet, &c., but their 

 particular preferences are not so likely to guide, in the selec- 

 tion of their food, as the consideration of what is most econ- 

 ohncal, and easiest to be procured on the part of their proprie- 

 tors. They will readily eat most kinds of vegetables in their 

 green state, both cooked and raw. They likewise manifest an 

 inclination for animal food, such as blood, fish and flesh, 

 whether raw or otherwise, and seem by no means averse to 

 feeding on their own species. Insects, worms and snails, they 

 will take with avidity. 



It is usual to give to domestic fowls a quantity of grain once 

 or more daily, but commonly in less quantity than they would 

 consume if unrestricted. They feed with great voracity, but 

 their apparent greediness is not the criterion by which we are 

 to judge of the possibility of satisfying them. Moderate quan- 

 tities of food will suffice, and the amount consumed will usu- 

 ally be proportioned to the size of the individuals. 



Mr. Bement says he was curious to ascertain the quantity 

 of each sort of grain which a given number of fowls, when 

 abundantly supplied, would consume ; and for that purpose he 

 confined one cock and seven hens of the Poland variety. The 

 first feed he gave them was one peck of Indian corn, which 

 they consumed in eleven days. He then fed them one peck 

 of oats, which they ate in six days. The next feed was the 

 same quantity of barley, which lasted them seven days. The 

 like quantity of wheat they consumed in ten days. The same 

 quantity of millet lasted eight days, and the like quantity of 

 wheat screenings they devoured in seven days. During this 



