CHAPTER XXVI 



THE MOLT IN CALIFORNIA 



Many experienced poultrymen say that the molt is a perfectly 

 natural process, uncontrollable as to season and duration of time. 

 But with all due deference I disagree with them. The molt can be 

 controlled in both ways, that is, as to season and duration. 



For hens that I know are strong and up to the mark in age and 

 vitality, I commence the molt by separating them from the rest and 

 giving them a cool, shady place in which to chew the cud of yester- 

 day. Plenty of water and air but little else for three days, then half 

 of one regular feed once a day for the next three days and this is 

 given at night. 



About the sixth day, the feed is increased a little. About the 

 seventh day, if the feathers appear loose the hens are either turned 

 out or given more room and are fed all the succulent green feed 

 they will eat. As they are pretty hungry by this time they will eat 

 an enormous amount of green feed and this starts the feathers to 

 loosen faster. And from this time on they are given plenty of green 

 feed, and all other rations are increased. Animal food is demanded 

 as a feather grower, bone and mineral. Plenty of grain, and this 

 should be given in variety. In the morning, feed oats and wheat, 

 at noon barley, in the evening wheat and barley or a little Egyptian 

 corn, high protein and low carbo-hydrates and fats. Sprouted oats are 

 one of the best feeds for molting hens as also is barley. Barley 

 appears to be at its best after soaking about five hours and after 

 being drained, left standing in bulk eighteen hours. 



Some hens lay moderately during a part of the molt. None appear 

 to lose any health or vigor, and unless the feathers are left lying 

 around no one would know the hens were molting. The new feathers 

 replace the old so orderly that the hens are never bare or ragged 

 looking like some are. The males do not seem to get the new feath- 

 ers as quickly as the hens, and sometimes it is necessary to help 

 them by pulling the feathers from the head a few at a time. 



What Are Carbo-hydrates? — Carbo-hydrates embrace all the by- 

 products of the mill, all shorts, middlings, rolled oats, wheat bran, soy 

 bean meal, etc., all roots that are grown under ground, such as pota- 

 toes, carrots, beets, parsnips, etc. If these vegetables are served raw, 

 they are better for poultry than if cooked. Cooking breaks the cells 

 and makes quite a chemical change in the food product. 



