MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 59 



work at the Station in relation to the number of birds it is 

 necessary to carry, green food must be added to the ration prac- 

 tically throughout the year, not only for the adult fowls in the 

 laying houses, but also for the chicks growing on the range. 



Beginning in the early fall when the pullets are put in the 

 laying house they are given green corn fodder cut fine in a 

 fodder cutter. Stalks, leaves and ears are cut together in pieces 

 averaging about 1-2 inch in length. The birds eat this chopped 

 corn fodder greedily. It is one of the best green foods for 

 poultry that we have yet been able to find. Its usefulness is 

 limited only by the season within which it is possible to get it. 

 The feeding of corn fodder is continued until the frost kills the 

 plants. 



When the corn can no longer be used cabbage is fed. The 

 supply of this usually lasts through December. In the event 

 of the supply of cabbage failing before it is desirable to start 

 the oat sprouter* the interval is filled out by the use of man- 

 golds. From about January 15 to May 15 green sprouted oats 

 from the source of green food. From about May 15 until the 

 corn has grown enough to cut, fresh clover from the range is 

 used. During the summer the growing chicks on the range 

 are given rape (Dwarf Essex) and green corn fodder cut as 

 described above, to supplement the grass of the range, which 

 rather rapidly dries out and becomes worthless as a source of 

 green food under our conditions. The very young chicks in the 

 brooders are given the tops only of green sprouted oats chopped 

 up fine. 



Dwarf Essex rape is an excellent source of green food for 

 poultry but it must be fed with great caution to birds which are 

 laying because if eaten in any considerable amounts it will 

 color the yolks of the eggs green with disastrous results in 

 the market. 



THE PREPARATION OF GREEN SPROUTED OATS. 



Green sprouted oats have been very widely exploited in 

 recent years as a green food for poultry. There are some so- 

 called "poultry" systems on the market which really consist of 



*For description of the method of sprouting oats used at the Station 

 see below. 



