A GUIDE FOR KEEPERS OF POULTRY 279 
pelled to take vigorous exercise, they will use up more 
of the fuel nutrients than they would otherwise. So too 
hens in active laying will require a larger quantity of 
protein than hens not laying in order to secrete the white 
of the egg, which is a form of protein called albumen. 
The same principle will apply to the ration for growing 
stock. Toa certain extent fowls are able to adjust them- 
selves to rations deficient in carbohydrates. This is a 
wise provision of nature. It enables a fowl to survive 
under misuse. The good feeder, however, will not take 
advantage of this quality to feed improper feeds because 
the ultimate result will be loss of production and im- 
paired digestion. For example, if a narrow feed (one 
very rich in protein) be fed, the kidneys and liver are 
unduly taxed in an effort to work off the excessive 
quantity of nitrogen. There being a deficiency of carbo- 
hydrate feed the animal burns up protein, a more expen- 
sive fuel than carbohydrate feed. It would be like burn- 
ing mahogany instead of maple because mahogany hap- 
pens to be in the house. 
“Fowls are not able to adjust themselves to rations 
deficient in protein. In their effort to do so they con- 
sume more carbohydrate feed than can properly be di- 
gested and assimilated. The first result of this excess is 
to produce fatness; in extreme cases it ultimately ends 
in starvation because the fowl cannot eat enough feed to 
obtain a sufficient quantity of protein to satisfy its needs. 
In other words, although protein (growth nutrient) may 
take the place to some extent of carbohydrates (fuel nu- 
trients), no amount of carbohydrates can be substituted 
for protein in a ration for fowls. The fowl can burn up 
protein if necessary. Therefore we should make the 
ration suit the fowl, and not ask the fowl to adapt itself 
