14 



X. II. Age. Experiment Station [Bi-lletiv 265 



The type of house varies, although in nearly all eases an open front 

 i> used. On many farms, old dairy barns have been remodelled into 

 poultry houses with three to four decks. Three to four square feet of 

 floor space per bird is usually allowed — 3.47 square feet for the Red 

 flocks and 3.31 square feet for the three Leghorn flocks. None of the 

 farms furnished the birds with artificial heat. 



Mash was kept before the birds at all times. The majority of the 

 poultrymen fed commercial mashes, although some were using the Xew 

 England Conference Ration, or ;i formula of their own based on the 

 conference ration. The method of scratch feeding varied. Some men 

 fed scratch in hoppers and kept it before the birds at all times, thereby 

 allowing them to adjust the mash-scratch ratio according to their body 

 requirements. Others fed a definite amount morning and night, limit- 

 ing the quantity according to the condition of the birds. Still other 

 variations of scratch feeding systems were found. A wet mash was gen- 

 erally fed during certain periods either to stimulate production or. 

 with fattening ingredients, to prevent fall molt in early hatched pul- 

 lets. Green feed was also used extensively; germinated oats were most 

 popular, with cabbage and mangles following. Those men not feeding 

 an accessory green or succulent generally incorporated alfalfa leaf 

 meal in the mash. Cod liver oil or cod liver meal was generally fed dur- 

 ing the entire period that the layers were housed. Only two of the 23 

 farms were using liquid milk. Condensed or semi-solid buttermilk was 

 more popular. 



Thirteen farms used lights on their laying flocks, turning them on 

 in such a way as to allow the birds a twelve or thirteen hour day. 

 Over half the farms furnished the layers warm water during the cold 

 weather period, either by carrying or through the use of heated foun- 

 tains. Shavings, straw, peat or hay were used for litter. 



Brooding and Rearing 



Colony houses arc still the most common type of brooder building in 

 New Hampshire, although most of the newer plants use the permanent 

 continuous type. On four farms chicks were brooded in these new type, 

 coiil in nous hot water brooder systems with a central source of heat. 

 On four other farms the newly hatched chicks were kept in batteries 

 for two or more weeks. The other farms brooded chicks with a stove 

 in each pen. 



One of Die larger poultry plants tiiat co-operated in the study 



