10 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



balance of the year as those who make httle or no performance 

 during the winter months. 



Sizes, shapes and styles of houses are almost endless. This 

 problem is ever present, and each one settles it to please his or 

 her own conditions. It matters not so much the kind of house 

 so long as abundance of fresh air is secured without direct 

 drafts over the birds, and as long as the house is light and 

 roomy. Dryness and reasonable cleanliness are also prime 

 factors. The smaller the flock the larger proportionately should 

 be the house, and, moreover, the labor cost per hen for caring 

 for her is also increased. A man will take care of 15 one- 

 hundred-bird flocks with less exertion than 70 ten-bird flocks. 

 Your labor charges for care and management should be about 

 35 or 40 cents per hen per year. Keep your poultry houses 

 well aired, drj' and clean. 



Feeds and methods of feeding are countless. Common sense 

 appears to be an inactive factor in many human beings. Some 

 try to mix and feed the most complicated grain mixtures 

 possible. All these things take time and time costs money. 

 I am not at all sure that a hard and fast rule for feeding can 

 be laid down. The essentials can be enumerated and are as 

 follows: green food, grain food, animal food, mineral food and 

 exercise. 



Green food ordinarily is cheap and handy, receives little at- 

 tention, and hence I place it first to draw your attention. 

 Poultry require considerable green food; it reduces the ex- 

 pensive feed bills and sustains health. In summer various 

 grasses and waste garden truck supply the wants. Little 

 chicks require very tender, crisp, green feed. For winter foods, 

 clover, hay, roots, cabbage or sprouted oats will give good 

 results. Feeding cooked roots is also a good means of cheapen- 

 ing the ration. 



Experimental demonstrations with us show no great differ- 

 ence among these foods. Cabbage, if anything, encourages 

 laying, while rape tends to color the yolks of eggs in some 

 instances seriously, from a market standpoint. A full-grown 

 hen will eat about l^ cubic inches of sprouted oats per day. 

 Ordinarily give the birds all they want, but do not feed de- 

 composed or highly flavored feeds. 



