104 po UL TR r " 



in the fowl are specially adapted to grinding dry, 'whole grain. When the 

 digestion goes wrong everything begins to go wrong. Cooking is a part of 

 the preparation of commercial meat foods. Fresh meat may be fed either 

 cooked or raw ; when cooked, the water in which it was cooked should be 

 vised in the mash. The notion that raw meat makes fowls vicious, is absurd. 



144. How Often to Feed. Unless the foraging ground is uncommonly 

 good, fowls at liberty should be fed twice daily. Fowls in confinement should 

 be fed two or three times, according to the manner of feeding the whole- 

 grain. When grain is fed on bare ground or scantily littered floors, it is better 

 to give the grain for the day in two feeds. When floors are heavily littered, 

 once feeding grain may be enough. Occasional light feeds between meaLs 

 are good, but to regularly give four or five meals daily to adult fowls is poor 

 method. Chicks should be fed from six to three times daily, according to age 

 and circumstances. The length of interval between meals can be gauged by 

 the appetites of the chicks. 



145. How Much to Feed. The common rule for a full feed of mash 

 is : All they will eat clean and quick. If mash is left before fowls, they 

 will after having satisfied their appetites once, go away, and a little later 

 come back and eat more. It is better to give only what they will take at one 

 "feed." Of a properly compounded mash as much as they will eat at one 

 time can safely be given. When grain is fed in heavy litter, a quart gives a 

 full feed to a dozen average fowls. A quart of grain fed thus in the evening 

 is not all eaten that day. One-fifth to one-fourth of it will remain in the 

 litter to be scratched out next morning, early if the feeding of the mash is 

 delayed ; not till tow r ard noon if a full feed of mash is given the first thing in 

 the morning. Adult fowls, except when being fatted, should not be allowed 

 to gorge themselves ; growing chicks may safely be allowed to eat all they 

 will of a fairly balanced ration, and it will do no harm to encourage them 

 to eat mor2. 



146. Tested Rations. REMARK. Most of the rations described here 

 have "been many times in print, though not in the exact words here given. 

 The arrangement, and to some extent the wording, is changed in the endeavor 

 to make all conform to a common pattern. Comparison of some of the 

 similar rations will show that some good feeders use unnecessary ingredients. 

 The great variety of rations given here makes it very improbable that any 

 inexperienced feeder will be unable to find at least one thoroughly tested 

 ration suited to his circumstances. 



(1). Ration for Breeding Stock. (FELCH). Summer Morning, mash of boiled 



vegetables, wheat bran and corn meal; meat in some form added three days in the week. 

 Mash fed hot, as much as will be eaten before 9 o'clock. Afternoon, at 4 or 5 o'clock 



