129 



supposed by any one who should see them fed only occa- 

 sionally. An English writer estimates that a common- 

 sized fowl will eat a quarter of a pint of oats, or barley, 

 a day, and voracious fowls, of large size, a third of a pint 

 Laying. — To promote laying, in the winter season, an 

 abundance of warm, stimulating food should be furnish- 

 ed, in good variety. The fowls should have constant ac- 

 cess to gravel, to promote digestion ; to fine mnd, in 

 %vhich to cleanse themselves and remove lice ; and to old 

 mortar, lime, pulverized oyster or clam shells, ground 

 bone, or chalk, to furnish the material which aids in the 

 formation of egg shells. These things may be kept in 

 boxes if necessary. 



Water should be always handy, for fowls frequently 

 suffer from the want of it. If it can be so manas^ed in 

 winter that the fowls shall not dip their gills in it, those 

 parts may be saved from freezing while wet. The lack 

 of clean and fresh water, in connection with too constant 

 feeding on grain, causes costiveness, and in such cases, 

 water, warm vegetables, and meat, may be given as 

 correctives. 



To promote good laying there must be careful feeding, 

 amounting almost to nursing of the flock. 



Hens lay a larger number of eggs during the first two 

 years than ever afterward, and from the second year 

 steadily decline. Cocks reach their greatest vigor in 

 their second year, and careful breeders change their male 

 birds every season, the time of moulting being chosen 

 to separate the old ones and introduce the new comer. 



Soft Eggs. — When soft-shelled eggs are laid, it indi- 

 cates too high feeding, too much meat, and an insuffi- 

 ciency of lime, and as a remedy, the quantity of stimu- 

 lating food should be diminished, which will usually be 

 17 



