POULTRY FEEDS AND FEEDING 



The amount of grit used is small and grit is usually 

 low priced so that the cost is a factor of small importance. 

 In experiments at the Government Poultry Farm lay- 

 ing hens consumed about 1.5 pounds of grit in a year. 

 Grit is quite essential for pigeons and commercial prod- 

 ucts commonly called health mixtures are produced and 

 sold extensively for that purpose. These products con- 

 tain varying proportions of grit, charcoal, oyster shells, 

 salt and some stimulating feeds. 



A mixture of this kind may be made of 40 pounds of 

 granite grit, 40 pounds of oyster shells, 10 pounds of 

 charcoal, 5 pounds of fine salt and 3 pounds of Venetian 

 Red. The salt is usually moistened with water and then 

 mixed with the rest of the product so that it is thoroughly 

 distributed throughout the mixture and much of the salt 

 adheres to the grit and oyster shell and is not left in a 

 loose dry form by itself. This prevents the pigeons from 

 eating too much salt at one time, which they may do if 

 they can get at a big supply of fine loose salt. Com- 

 mercial chick feeds sometimes contain 5 to 10 per cent grit 

 but under the present feed inspection laws the use of 

 grit in such feeds is usually prohibited or if grit is used 

 it must be plainly marked on the bag, 



CHARCOAL 



Charcoal is quite generally .supplied to poultry of all 

 ages and may be kept before them in hoppers or mixed 

 in with the mash. Where it is mixed in with the mash 

 from one-half to i per cent of charcoal is usually used. 



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