112 POULTRY FOR PROFIT 



at the time when they need them. The first thing a 

 hen does when she gets off the roost in the morning is 

 to look for something to eat. If she finds nothing, 

 every hour spent in waiting is time lost from the 

 business of the day. The poultry-keeper who is not 

 disposed to hustle out in the morning by 5 : 30 or 6 

 o'clock must set the table the night before. Throw 

 grain in the litter the night before so that Biddy can 

 get to work early, and if a moist mash is to be fed 

 it can wait until she has scratched awhile. 



3. Variety. It is not enough to feed a balanced 

 ration. The ration needs to be changed from time 

 to time lest Biddy's appetite lag. Feed a variety of 

 grains every day and change the mixture occasion- 

 ally. If you have been feeding wheat and barley for 

 some time, try wheat and Kaffir corn or wheat and 

 oats. If the meat food has been beef scrap, use fish 

 scrap for a change, or add soy bean meal. The hen 

 appreciates these little concessions to her taste and 

 discrimination and will show her appreciation in a 

 substantial way. 



4. Plenty. The skilful feeder does not sit down 

 to his own evening meal until he is certain his hens 

 have had all they want. It may be necessary in 

 feeding heavy hens to make the morning meal very 

 light or omit 'it altogether, but at night every hen's 

 crop should be full. There is no fixed rule for the 

 amount to be fed to a hen in a day or at a meal. 

 Hens differ in their needs and in their appetites. 

 An Orpington needs considerably more than a But- 

 tercup. A laying hen requires more than a hen that 

 is not laying. It is a good plan to leave the mash 

 hoppers always accessible, unless for some good rea- 

 son it is desired to reduce the ration, and to throw 

 in deep scratchng litter, either all at once or at dif- 

 ferent times during the day, sufficient grain to keep 



