22 



If any one will send ns these data, we can answer the ques- 

 tion fairly well, bnt without them it is impossible. 



We know that hens eat about 50 per cent more in April, 

 when they are laying heavily, than in ISTovember, when they 

 are moultini)-. In a general way, 10 hens will need on the 

 average about ll/( Qi^arts of grain and II4 quarts of the 

 ordinary mash ])cr day, or about 4 ounces of feed jier hen. 

 Results obtained l)y the Xew Jersey Experiment Station con- 

 form very closely with this estimate, and Dr. Wheeler in his 

 experimental work with hens, already referred to, came to 

 altout the same conclusion. 



Table 1').-^ Amount of Food consumed, Average per Hen per Year. 



Pounds. 



Grain and mash, . . . . . . . . . .90.0 



Oyster shell, 4.0 



Dry cracked bone, . . . . . . . . . .2.4 



Grit, . 2.0 



Charcoal, ^ 2.4 



Clover, 10.0 



This chart shows the amount of food annually consumed 

 per hen at the Maine station, and the data were based on the 

 average consumption of 100 hens for a year. It a]>pears that 

 each hen consumed about 100 pounds of grain, mash and hay, 

 or just about 4 ounces per day, — a showing which should be 

 of value in determining the amount of feed required daily for 

 a eiven flock of hens. 



What I have said above refers to feeding lavers. In feed- 

 ing breeders I would not use the same methods l\v any means. 

 As previously stated, the main object in feeding layers is to 

 get the highest num1)er of eggs possible for the amount of 

 grain fed, so they should be pushed to the limit. On the other 

 hand, we are feeding breeders for an entirely different object. 

 We want to get from them not merely eggs to be used as human 

 food, bnt eggs containing strong, vigorous germs that will 

 hatch well, and not only live but grow rajiidly to maturity. 

 We therefore must feed es]:»ecially for vigor. The breeders 

 shonld l)e separated in the fall from the layers, kept by tliom- 



