2V 



CHAPTER III. 



FEEDING AND GENERAL TREATMENT OF FOWLS. 



Of the three essentials to successful poultry-keeping — proper accommodation, proper selection, 

 and proper feeding — we have now considered the two first, and it remains to consider the 

 third. If it be considered that the simple object to be attained is the conversion of so much 

 grain or other food of one kind into eggs or meat, or so much food of another kind, it will 

 be obvious that a proper system of feeding must have more direct influence upon the result 

 than even the preceding points, though perhaps not more real. If treated rightly, the domestic 

 fowl is the most profitable of all live stock ; but that it seldom is treated rightly we are 

 more and more convinced by the experience and correspondence of every year. 



Thus it happens that any work on poultry, to be of real use, must almost of necessity 

 be dogmatic. Unless many persons are told that they must treat their poultry in a certain 

 way, they will not do it ; and hence it is necessary to be definite and imperative, even 

 regarding some details which might be varied with actual benefit if done judiciously, or may 

 not be the very best in some particular circumstances. Again and again have editors of 

 poultry organs to give the same answers to the same questions ; again and again have we 

 ourselves had the trouble of reading and answering letters complaining of want of success, 

 addressed to us on account of our previous writings, only to find, on inquiry, that our very 

 simplest and plainest directions had been utterly disregarded. Every real poultry authority 

 wfc know makes the same complaint. People seem to think that if they only read sound 

 directions, their fowls must thrive ; and the amount of ignorance regarding poultry and their 

 proper treatment is amazing. Three-fourths of any town population, even yet, believe that 

 if a citizen be so insane as to keep his own fowls, every egg he obtains will cost him 

 sixpence ; whereas fourpence per dozen, under proper management, would be nearer the mark 

 in England ; while in America, where grain is so much cheaper, the dozen should cost five 

 cents. But, always supposing a proper house for the number of fowls, and fowls properly 

 chosen year by year, as in our last chapter, such a result will altogether depend upon 

 jii'^" 'ous feeding. 



he feeding of any live stock is a very simple, but at the same time by no means an 

 t blem. All food given represents cash expended, and this is easily enough calculated ; 



bu esult is not so readily seen without thought. Food may be productive, yielding more 



thai. vn value ; or it may be simply wasted, producing nothing whatever ; or it may be 



actua. "iotis to the animal, every penny or cent expended producing so much actual loss. 



Thus, . ':ase of fowls, the food may either yield a return, part repairing the waste of 



the anin. 'es, and part producing either extra growth and weight, or valuable eggs ; or 



it may si. maintain the bird in the same state or condition it was before ; or it may 



produce uni fat, and thus be really injurious. And as every living creature requires 



some amount d to support its life and energies, such amount obviously represents the 



viinimmn whic» be given ; and the question really is, what result is obtained by all food 



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