36 EGG MONEY 



straw or other material out in the open air, even when that 

 area is surrounded by snow, and induce the hens to scratch 

 by scattering a little grain in the scratching material. But 

 the poultryman whose time is taken from before daybreiak 

 until after dark, seldom does anything of that kind. His 

 fowls must take their exercise indoors and he therefore cov- 

 ers the floor of each pen thick with hay, straw, leaves or 

 other material and buries all whole and cracked grain there- 

 in, compelHng his fowls to scratch it out. 



Exercise loses half its value when not performed in 

 fresh, pure air. On that account the windows should be 

 open, more or less according to the temperature, while the 

 fowls are at work. On bright days they may be thrown 

 wide open, no matter how low the temperature is, for the 

 fowls are far less susceptible to cold, if healthy, when work- 

 ing than they are to the sudden change which follows if 

 they become overheated. In such cases they invariably 

 take cold when inactive. It will not do to close the houses 

 tightly when the first severe weather arrives. Provide 

 plenty of ventilation to keep the air reasonably pure with- 

 in the building or colds are likely to result and roup is 

 probable. 



Green Food Essential. 



It should be remembered that the foods fed in winter are 

 largely preserved; that is, they have been dried or cured 

 so that the}' will keep and they are to that extent artificial 

 and alone will not keep the fowls in the best condition. 

 Green food must be furnished in liberal quantities and must 

 be of reasonably good quality. 



The orthodox method of furnishing green food is to sup- 

 ply plenty of second quality cabbage. While no fault can be 

 found with this vegetable for the purpose, there are others • 

 that are as effective and which may be used to advantage 

 by way of variety, for most any vegetable, which keeps well 

 in winter, may be fed raw to the fowls if they will eat it> 

 with relish. Owners of orchards, who also keep poultry, 

 frequently store away several barrels of small, but sound, 

 apples to feed to their fowls during the winter. Probably 

 nothing equals mangel-wurzel beets for this purpose; they 



