THE FEEDS 355 



trouble "among fowls receiving cut bone . . ai)par- 



ently due to the fact that in spite of the precaution taken 

 to distribute it evenly some fowls occasionally secured more 

 than their proper share." 



Charcoal. — This is fed for its effect, and probably does not 

 enter directly into the nutrition of the fowl. It is an intestinal 

 corrective and should be kept before the fowls in a readily 

 obtainable form at all times. It is sold commercially as 

 granulated charcoal. 



Grit. — The chief functions of grit are to prevent impaction 

 in the gizzard and aid it in crushing food, although some 

 of it may perhaps be assimilated. Its most desirable quality 

 is hardness. If there is not an abundance of gravel where 

 the birds may pick up pebbles, grit should be constantly 

 supplied. Fowls prefer shiny particles of sparkling grit to 

 that which is dull. Commercially, grit appears on tlie market 

 under many names, but is made chiefly from crushed quartz, 

 feldspar, phosphate rock, and granite. Oyster shell, which is 

 very valuable as a source of ash, is not hard enough to serve 

 as grit. 



The size of grit must of necessity be regulated by the 

 size of the stock fed. Commercially, it is usually offered as 

 chick size, medium, and large size grit. 



W. P. Wheeler' found that mixing sand with the food of 

 newly hatched chicks resulted in better health for the chicks 

 and a more efficient use of food. He also found that ground 

 oyster shell could not take the place of sand. 



Salt.— Siiit in some quantity is considered necessary to all 

 farm animals. It adds palatability to the ration and is 

 generally supposed to aid digestion. It should be fed \\'itli 

 caution. Wheeler" reports experiments in the feeding of 

 salt in which he found no l)ad results until he reached a 

 proportion of 6.-3 ounces per 100 hens. At that point diarrhea 

 appeared. This disapi)eared when the amount of salt was 

 reduced one-third. He rcconunendcd salt at the rate of 5 

 ounces per 100 pounds of feed for mature stock, and that no 

 salt lie fcfl young stock until after they are two months old. 



' New York Bulletin No. 242, 



' Twenty-sixlh Annual Report, New York Experiment Station. 



