Poultry Keeping 



hens, small packing boxes, as sweet-corn cases, can be 

 made to serve very well. Chickens will be more likely 

 to use nests if they are somewhat hidden. 



The feed of chickens needs to be more concentrated 

 than that of ordinary farm animals, because of their 

 rapid growth, for which much protein (muscle-building 

 food) is necessary, and because their eggs are rich in 

 protein (Fig. 251). Protein, as we have learned (page 

 291), must be supplied in food, as an animal cannot turn 

 other food materials into protein. If there is not suffi- 

 cient protein in the hen's feed, she must wait until she 

 accumulates enough of it, before laying an egg. 



The jungle-fowl ancestors of chickens (Fig. 252) were 

 able to catch enough insects to make up their protein 

 supply, and domestic chickens must be supplied with 

 meat, or sour milk, or some special feed as a substitute 

 for insects in their diet. There are several kinds of 

 ground feed that contain large 

 amounts of protein and oil. These 

 are known as oil meals. They 

 make good chicken feed. Ex- 

 amples of oil meals are soy-bean 

 meal, linseed meal, and cotton- 

 seed meal. Bran, also, contains 

 a good deal of protein. The 

 ordinary grains, such as wheat 

 and corn, do not contain a large 

 enough proportion of protein to 

 supply the laying hen's needs 



FIG. 251. What it takes to 

 make an egg. Analysis by 

 weight. 



Why 



chickens 

 need feeds 

 that are 

 rich in 

 prole in 



Meat, sour 

 milk, oil 

 meals, bran, 

 and grains 



Protein 



w i. -.. -j t u 



We often hear it said of hens 



