.3(12 POULTRY PRODUCTION 



fully nine-tenths of a maintenance ration of the larger farm 

 animals may consist of carbohydrate, a somewhat less pro- 

 portion prevails in the maintenance ration of chickens. 



The fact that poultry " reciuires a much higher proportion 

 of nutrients per unit body weight, presupposes their adapt- 

 ability to concentrated feedstuff's, like the grains."' 



Tablb XXXIX. — Digestible Notrients Required per Day for Each 

 100 PonND3 Live Weight for Maintenance. 



Total dry Carboliy- Nutritive 



matter. Ash. Protein, drates. Fat. ratio. 



Capons of 9 to 12 pounds 



weight .2.30 



Hens of 5 to 7 pounds 



weight . . 2.70 



Hens of 3 to 5 pounds 



weight . 3.90 



From feeding trials not covering any moulting period and 

 during a time when egg production was suspended, W. P. 

 Wheeler' deduced the standards given in Table XXXIX 

 and the tables following. 



This data was taken from a total of 52 capons averaging 

 by different lots from 9 to 12 pounds in weight and fed for 

 158 days, and from 09 hens ranging from 3 to 7 pounds 

 and fed for 150 days. 



"A ration which corresponds to the standard given for 

 maintenance for hens of the larger size could be composed of 

 1 pound of cracked corn, 1 poiuid of corn meal, \ pound each 

 of ground oats, wheat middlings and clover ha}^ \ pound 

 fresh bone, and 10 ounces of beef scraps."^ 



Standard for Growing Chicks. — As is to be expected, the 

 proportions of protein and ash in a growing ration for chicks 

 is even greater than that for a hen in full laying, because 

 growth means the building of tissues, the development of 

 vital organs, and the growth of feathers'' that are largely 



' Brown, Bureau of Animal Industry, Bullelin No. 50, 



' W. P. Wheeler in Jordan's Feeding of Animals. 



' Ibid. 



* Rico, Rogers and Nixon (Cornell Bulletin No. 25S) found that growing 

 chicks experienced at least four moults by the time thi.'y were old enough 

 to lay. 



