19 



or a little more of wheat middlings, in order to get the proper 

 proportions by weight. In the same way one can make various 

 mixtnres by nsing the proper measure for each, and yet have 



the result based on weights. 



Table 12. — Chemical Components of Poultry, Eggs and Corn {Per 



Cent). 



Water. 



Ash. 



Protein. 



Fat. 



Carbo- 

 hydrates. 



Composition of the hen, 

 Composition of the egg, 

 A very fat fowl, . 

 Composition of corn, . 



66.0 



This chart shows the composition of an average hen, of the 

 egg, of a very fat fowl and of corn. We see that corn fed 

 alone - — and the same is trne of most of our other grains, 

 generally speaking - — is far from giving a balanced ration, but 

 is a very one-sided feed. The hen, for instance, contains 

 3.8 per cent ash and the egg 12.2 per cent, whereas corn con- 

 tains only 1.5 per cent ash. Again, the hen contains 21 per 

 cent protein and the egg 11.4 per cent; the fat fowl 19.4 per 

 cent and corn only 10.3 per cent. 



The same is true of fats, as is seen when we compare the 

 carbohydrates in com with the fat in the hen and the egg. 



The ratio of jirotein to carbohydrates in corn is about 1 

 to 9 in round numbers, so that if the hen wdiich, under good 

 laying condition, uses 4:^2 pounds of carbohydrates and fats 

 to every pound of protein, is fed corn alone, she will be obliged 

 to eat 9 pounds of carbohydrates and fats, or twice the amount 

 she ought to consume in order to get a ]iound of protein. On 

 the other hand, if we feed her too much protein in proportion 

 to carbohydrates and fats she will be obliged to eat more pro- 

 tein than necessary. Whenever the hen must eat more of any 

 one of the food principles than she really needs there not only 

 is a waste of feed, bnt an extra strain is brought upon the 

 digestive system to handle this excessive amount of food. We 

 should see to it, therefore, that our hens have as nearlv a 



