174 THE POULTRY-BOOK. 



but it must be so managed as not to permit to share in this 

 department of your bounty such hens as are disposed to become 

 too fat. According as hens take on fat, they usually fall off in 

 laying ; and this should be particularly kept in mind in feeding. 

 When hens are disposed to flesh, hempseed is the best promoter 

 of laying ; at the same time, it will be necessary that they 

 should be restricted as respects other descriptions of food, fat- 

 tening and laying being nearly always, if not absolutely so, 

 incompatible with each other. 



A varied dietary may be best illustrated by a description of 

 the method of feeding for a single day. In the morning, about 

 seven o'clock in spring or autumn, or at six in summer, 

 the fowl may be let out, and permitted to roam about till nine, 

 when grain may be given to the amount of about a handful to 

 every three birds ; they may then be left to amuse themselves, 

 and in this time they will pick up a great deal. About three 

 o'clock, they should be fed again on grain in about the same 

 quantity as before, and such vegetable refuse may be added as 

 is convenient. Some portion of animal food should generally 

 be accessible to them all the time. In winter, all feeding, and 

 especially of grain, should be increased in quantity, and par- 

 ticular attention should be paid to the substitutes for green 

 food. 



Cayenne pepper, in fact, all descriptions of pepper, but espec- 

 ially cayenne pepper in pods, will be found a favorite with 

 fowls, and will be greedily devoured by them. It acts as a 

 powerful stimulant, and is said to promote laying. When 

 mixed with boiled meal, it is productive of the best effects, 

 when given in moderation. Pepper will be found particularly 

 useful in feeding young turkeys, as indeed all stimulating vege- 

 tables, such as horse-radish, &c. Geese and ducks will eat 

 greedily, as well as other fowls, of -cabbage or other greens 



