QUAXTITY 0. ^. 25 



accordingly. In was in this respect that Mr. Geyelin, the tor of the now defunct "National 



Poultry Company," did good service, and which it would -ateful not to acknowledge, to 



poultry-culture. It was a necessity his idea should fail, beca^ 'ipposing it possible tp rear 



chickens in immense numbers and to profit, in sheds only six fc -elve, he literally " worked 



it to death." But he clearly demonstrated what could be done in a nace by soft food. He 



was not the first to find this out ; almost every fancier had done so ^im : but he was the 



first who publicly drew attention to the necessity and advantage of empi od in the form of 



meal, and of deodorising all the manure by dry earth in confined runs. In s^ *he absurdities 



with which his pamphlet abounded, many of the principles which he enunciate^ the founda- 



tion of all successful poultry management. 



No fowls require, at most, more than three meals per day ; and as a rule, do . r with 



two. The first should, or in confinement must, consist of soft or pulpy food of some i. ' be 



given early in the morning. If the fowls be at liberty, or have large grass-runs, they she ^. 



nothing further until about half an hour before they go to roost, when they should have anoth^ 

 of grain. In point of quantity no fixed scale can be given ; some breeds eat double the quantity 

 others, and even the same hen will require very different allowance, according as she is layincr o. 

 not at the time. Nevertheless, there is a rule, simple and easily understood, which will unfailingly 

 secure both health and eggs; and that is, to give the birds just as much as they will eat with an 

 eager or ravenous appetite, and no more. We are speaking now of adult fowls, and such must on 

 no account be allowed to have as much as they will eat : directly they cease to run, if the^fooa is 

 thrown to them, or commence " picking it over," if given in a trough or saucer, it should be stopped 

 or taken away. On no account especially must any be left. While no absolute scale """ ^° r.u..^„ ^ 

 for the reasons stated, it will be generally found that hens of large breeds, wl: 

 moulting, require about as much meal or dough as would make a ball two and a. nan m^no., 

 in diameter for their feed every morning, and a woman's handful (we mean to be taken with the 

 palm downwards) of grain at night. Indeed, for large breeds this "handful" system will generally 

 be a safe one as regards the grain ; but smaller fowls, from Spanish downwards, should have rather 

 less according to size. But the only real rule is that we have given above, and we would add the 

 caution that many, on trial, will not think it enough. We often have had visitors remark that our 

 own fowls "must be half-starving," as they saw them fly up in the air when their breakfast was 

 taken out to them. They are, in fact, always ready for food ; but we are certain, from long 

 experience, that this system of feeding is the best, not only for profit, but for real healthy 

 condition. In bad or cold weather, or when moulting, a very little more may be allowed ; but 

 we never allow our own birds (we speak of adults only) to cat to repletion. Such will always 

 destroy the profit of keeping poultry, at least in a confined space. Even in strict confinement, 

 where every atom of food must be supplied, there should not be a third regular meal, but simply 

 a small handful of grain among every two or three birds, according to their size, to afford them 

 gratification and keep the appetite alive. Occasionally, in such circumstances, the diet may be 

 varied by giving the handful each of grain in the middle of the day ; and then, instead of corn, 

 giving a very scanty feed of soft food, not more than half the breakfast, the last thing at night. 

 There are yet some regarded as authorities who advise the old-fashioned plan of giving grain in 

 the morning and meal at night ; but we have tried and watched almost every mode of feeding, 

 and, without hesitation, abide by what we have laid down, grain alone giving the needful support 

 during the long night which has to pass before -the next meal. 



In choosing food, either meal or grain, there is considerable variety to select from, and it is 

 well now and then to give a change. In arranging this, the poultiy -keeper should be guided 

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