PRACTICAL FEEDING OF POULTRY 



on farms which are fed only a very small amount of grain 

 and left largely on grass feeds may produce eggs which 

 are weak and watery and not of good quality. 



In purchasing grains, corn and corn meal are the 

 products especially subject to mould and must, and should 

 be carefully examined in the spring and summer for 

 spoiled feed. If these feeds have been wet they will spoil 

 quickly during that time of the year. Corn which has not 

 been properly cured will have a green heart, the inside of 

 which is very harmful and poisonous to fowls, and espe- 

 cially so to young chickens. 



Meat scrap and mixed mashes which have been sacked 

 and held for some time will cake up and get mouldy if 

 they have been wet, making them unfit for feeding. Be 

 careful in feeding grains in the fall before they are thor- 

 oughly cured, especially corn. Soft wheat which is not 

 thoroughly cured and dried is also dangerous. Rye is 

 not used much in feeding poultry, but if used care should 

 be taken to see that there is no ergot in it as this will have 

 a very detrimental effect on the poultry flock. 



Cottonseed meal as discussed on page 151 if fed in 

 large quantities will affect the appearance of the yolks 

 of the eggs. The feeding of onions and large quantities 

 of rape to fowls which have not had rape previously may 

 affect the flavor of the eggs. Feeding of large amounts 

 of slop garbage will also affect the quality of the eggs, 

 producing weak or watery eggs. Spoiled feeds or those 

 not adapted for poultry usually stop production before 

 they have had much opportunity to affect the quality of 



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