52 METHODS OF POULTRY MANAGEMENT. 



vigor. It was reasoned that even a small quantity of whole 

 corn could be readily seen and picked up from the straw litter 

 with little exertion, and that the vices of luxury and idleness 

 would follow. In order to test this view an experiment was 

 carried out at the Station in the winter of 1906-7 in which 

 whole corn was substituted for cracked corn in the ration of 

 500 laying pullets. A control lot of 500 received cracked corn. 

 All other conditions affecting the two lots were kept as nearly 

 identical as possible. The result of the experiment was that 

 there was no appreciable difference in regard to either egg 

 production, health, or general well-being between the two 

 flocks of birds. 



The litter which the Station now uses for its houses in prefer- 

 ence to all others which have been tried, consists of a mixture 

 of dry pine shavings and straw. The shavings can be obtained 

 in this part of the country from box mills in bales, which are 

 sold at a price of from 5 to 10 cents per bale. These shavings are 

 spread on the floor of the pen to a depth of some 5 to 7 inches. 

 From 6 to 8 bales will cover the floor of a pen which accommo- 

 dates from 100 to 125 birds. On top of these shavings is spread 

 a thin layer of straw. Straw which has not been baled is pre- 

 ferred because it is less liable to be broken and will consequently 

 wear longer in the pen. This combination of straw and shav- 

 ings gives excellent satisfaction as a litter. The straw serves 

 the purpose of protecting the shavings so that they last a longer 

 time than would otherwise be the case before they are finally 

 worked up into a mass of fine material which packs down and 

 becomes damp. The shavings became damp much less quickly 

 than does a litter of straw alone. This is because they are 

 finer, and the birds can keep them worked over much more 

 thoroughly. This constantly exposes and dries out new portions 

 of the mass of litter. Using this combination of shavings and 

 straw it is not usually found necessary to change the litter in 

 the pens oftener than once in three months. 



It is in regard to the dry mash portion of the ration in which 

 the changes already referred to have been made. The dry 

 mash which was formerly used at the Station had the following 

 composition : 



