21 



ever, corn is tlie cheapest grain for poultry, and should form 

 about one-half the scratch feed in any case. 



Our method of feeding layers at the college is as follows: 

 the dry mash is kept before the hens all the time. From 

 3.30 to 5 P.M., depending upon the time of the year, they are 

 given scratch feed in the litter, about 50 per cent more than 

 they Avill eat at once, so that they will have some left to work 

 on in the morning while the attendants are watering and doing- 

 some of the other chores about the plant. In the morning, 

 from 6 to 9, as the other work permits, they are fed more of 

 the scratch feed ; and this is all the feeding that is done under 

 the dry-mash system. But since, as a rule, we wish to force 

 our layers to the highest possible egg production, we also feed 

 a wet mash once a day, about 2 p.m., which is a convenient 

 time because it works in very well with the other duties of 

 the attendant. The same formula is used for the wet mash 

 as for the dry, but when we have no mangels, beets or cab- 

 bages we use cut alfalfa in the mash, making it compose about 

 one-third of the bulk. Green or succulent food is given every 

 day or every other day, in the form of cabbages, beets, man- 

 gels, turnips or carrots, which, as a rule, are split open and 

 laid on the floor or in a trough for the hens to pick, though 

 vegetables like carrots are usually run through a feed cutter 

 iiiid cut tine. Grit, oyster shell and water are kept before 

 the hens constantly. Potassium permanganate, enough to 

 give a good vcmI color, is placed in the drinking water, espe- 

 cially in the fall, when the weather is very changeable and 

 the hens and pullets are apt to take cold. It is a disinfectant, 

 not a medicine, and a teaspoon level full is sufficient for 12 

 or ]3 gallons of water. 



The question is often asked how much to feed a flock of 

 hen^. 10, 20, 25, and so on. Those who have had experience 

 know that this question cannot be answered definitely, as there 

 are a large number of factors that govern the amount. The 

 principal ones are as follows : the size of the hen ; the activity 

 of the hen ; the number of eggs laid ; ability to digest food : 

 size of the eca's : kind of house; kind of treatment. 



