MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



43 



tendant, as is usual at feeding time where large numbers are 

 kept together. While the birds liked the beef scrap, they did 

 not overeat of it. During the range season, from June to the 

 dose of October, the birds ate just about i pound of the scrap 

 to 10 pounds of the cracked corn anri wheat. This is practically 

 the proportion eaten when the moist mash was used. 



THE FEEDING TROUGH. 



The difficulty of keeping the feed clean and dry during con- 

 tinued exposure is nearly overcome by using troughs with 



Fjg. 8. Chicken feeding trough, accessible from both sides, with cover on. 



slatted sides and broad, detachable roofs (figs. 8 and 9). The 

 troughs which were formerly, in use at the station were from 

 6 to 10 feet long, with the sides 5 inches high. The lath slats are 

 2 inches apart, and the troughs are 16 inches high from floor to 

 roof. The roofs project about 2 inches at the sides and effectu- 

 ally keep out the rain except when high winds prevail. 



The roof is very easily removed by lifting one end and sliding 

 it endwise on the opposite gable end on which it rests, as shown 

 in figure 9. The trough can then be filled and the roof drawn 

 back into place without lifting it. This arrangement is econom- 

 ical of feed, keeping it in good condition and avoiding waste. 

 When dry mash is used there may be considerable waste by the 



