27 



proportion of it will be voided in the form of excrement. Then 

 the hen has a task to perform such as is imposed upon few other 

 creatures. She is expected to lay an egg weighing not less than 

 two ounces ; and an egg, as everyone knows, is one of the richest 

 of food products. Deduct from the six ounces of food two 

 ounces for waste and two ounces for egg production, and it will 

 be seen that only two ounces are left to repair the tissues and 

 maintain the temperature of the body. The laying hen needs a 

 generous diet, and those doctrinaires who advocate keeping her in 

 a state of semi-starvation have no support in reason for their 

 theory. 



FEEDING FOR EGGS: WINTER METHOD. 



Having given my readers the principles that apply to feeding, 

 I purpose now to tell them how I put these principles into prac- 

 tice. I desire to state here that I have no patent methods. I aim 

 to apply common sense to the problem of egg production, as I da 

 to other things ; but I do not claim to have a monopoly of wis- 

 dom. There are doubtless other methods as good as mine. As I 

 said in a preceding section, there are many possible combinations 

 that will produce good results. I give you mine, and leave you 

 to adopt it or not as you think best. 



From October to May I feed as follows: A mash the first 

 thing in the morning. The mash is made as I am about to 

 describe. Into an iron kettle holding 12 quarts I put two quarts 

 (dry measure) cut clover, two. quarts mixed feed or wheat bran, 

 two quarts corn meal, one quart green ground bone or beef scraps, 

 and one quart table scraps. The ingredients are thoroughly mixed 

 together. I then take the kettle into the house and set it on 

 the range where the metal can become warm. I next stir in a 

 heaping teaspoonful of coarse-fine salt, and in the coldest weather 

 sprinkle in a little black pepper. Boiling water is then added to 

 -the mash in just sufficient quantity to moisten every particle and 

 yet not have it sticky and sloppy. I consider the mash just right 

 to feed when I can take some up in my hand and have it feel 

 pleasantly warm (not hot), and dry enough so that it will not 

 adhere to the palm or fingers. Some advocate dry feeding. I 

 have no doubt the food is just as nourishing without the water, 

 and after they become accustomed to it (or starved into it) the 

 hens will eat it readily enough; but before the food can be 

 digested it must be moistened, and I think it better and safer to 



