POULTRY FOR PROFIT 111 



what more quickly after molt ; laid a few more eggs 

 during winter ; were materially retarded in egg pro- 

 duction ; produced less eggs after the molt was com- 

 pleted; produced eggs at a greater cost per dozen; 

 consumed slightly less food during the year; had 

 slightly less mortality ; showed slightly more broodi- 

 ness, and paid a much smaller profit. 



"The general conclusions were that with the meth- 

 ods employed with White Leghorn fowls one, two 

 and three years old, it does not pay to 'force a molt' 

 by starvation methods and that apparently it is good 

 policy to encourage hens, by good care and feeding, 

 to lay during late summer and fall, rather than to 

 resort to unusual means to stop laying in order to 

 induce an early molt, with the hope of increasing pro- 

 ductiveness during early winter, a season which is 

 naturally unfavorable for egg production. In short, 

 it appears wise when hens want to lay to let them 

 lay." 



Rules for Feeding 



Three things characterize the feeding of a skilful 

 feeder : 



1. Regularity. He does not give two meals to- 

 day and three tomorrow, nor does he give a moist 

 mash today at noon and tomorrow at night. If he 

 has decided that it is wise to let his hens get their 

 breakfast from the dry mash hoppers, he holds to 

 this rule till he sees good reason for changing it, and 

 does not feed breakfast today and none tomorrow. 

 Neither does he permit kind-hearted neighbors to 

 throw scraps over the fence at any hour of the day. 

 He plans his regime according to circumstances, and 

 then holds to it. 



2. Punctuality. His fowls get their meals not 

 only at the hour when they expect them, but also 



