.24 



From this and data from other experiment stations it is 

 evident that in feeding breeders we should not feed too much 

 animal food, unless in the form of milk ; and not push them 

 for high egg production during the fall and early winter, but 

 give them plenty of exercise, free range if possible, and all 

 the green food they want. 



Feeding the broody hen is something that is sadly neglected 

 by a great many poultrymen. I have been surprised to find 

 that there are some who starve them for a number of days in 

 order to break them up. This seems cruel to me, and also an 

 expensive way of doing it. The main object of the poultryman 

 is to bring the broody hen to laying again in the shortest pos- 

 sible time, therefore she should be fed on vei-y rich feeds, and 

 even tempted in every way to eat. So treated, most broody 

 hens will begin to lay again in from ten to fifteen days. A 

 stimulating mash should be given to these hens, if to no others. 



In feeding poultry, the main thing after all is not the fee<l, 

 the hens or the house, but it Js the man with the feed pail. 

 Hens may be overfed oi* underfed ; they may be fed the wrong 

 thing at the right time, or the right thing at the wrong time. 

 The important factor in this work is judgment, and this can be 

 used only by those who have had experience and know chickens 

 thoroughly. I have seen men walk through their houses, feed 

 their hens and never look at them. I once accompanied a man 

 of this type through his house, and when we reached the other 

 end asked what was the trouble with the hens in a particular 

 pen, having noticed they had roup. The feeder replied that 

 he had not noticed anything wrong, except that the hens in 

 that pen were not laying as many eggs as the others. These 

 men are automatic feeders, and feed as a matter of routine. 

 We do not believe that a man can be successful with poultry 

 who cares for thorn in this way. He should watch the hens 

 eat as he throws out the grain, see if they are hungry, stir up 

 the litter to see if they have eaten all he has given them pre- 

 viously, etc. One man has put it very nicely by saying. " When 

 you go out to feed your poultry take one pail of feed and two 

 pails of judgment." 



