72 The Essentials of Poultry. Raising 



waste grain, bugs and insects are so abundant. Later in the 

 fall or in the winter they will consume more, since the mash 

 is used by the birds as a filler. If the hens become too fat, it 

 may be necessary to keep the dry mash hopper closed part of 

 the time. 



165. Value of Exercise. Exercise is essential for the best 

 results in laying. In the winter time this exercise can be given 

 by placing a deep litter, such as straw, leaves, or shredded stover, 

 on the floor of the hen house, and throwing the grain feed into 

 this, which causes the hens to scratch for their grain. For this 

 reason grain feeds have been called scratch feed. 



166. Minerals for Poultry. Breeding and laying hens need 

 lime and grit. Most feeds are deficient in lime. If the birds run 

 at large, it may be secured from the fields, but if the birds are 

 kept on the back lot, crushed oyster shell should be provided. 

 Birds at large will find sufficient grit in the form of pieces of 

 pebbles and cinders, but if they are kept in a restricted enclosure, 

 crushed limestone should be provided. The limestone will also 

 be a source of lime needed in the body in the manufacture of 

 &gg shells and for other purposes. 



167. Sufficient Nutrients. If grain alone is fed and the birds 

 do not have a fruitful range or do not receive an ample supply 

 of table scraps, they will not lay many eggs. The white of the 

 tgg is pure albumin and the yolk is made up of albumin and 

 fat as well as coloring and mineral matter. The albumin must 

 come from the protein of the feed. Grains do not furnish a 

 sufficient amount of protein for heavy egg production. 



168. Reasons for Feeding Mash. Mash contains by-products 

 and animal feeds rich in protein and is essential for high egg 

 production. A mash should contain animal food in the form 

 of meat scrap, fish scrap, dried blood, or dried buttermilk, and 

 at least one by-product high in protein content, such as soybean 

 meal, peanut meal, cottonseed meal, or gluten meal. 



169. Hot Mashes. Hot mashes given at four o'clock in the 



