FEEDING PRACTICES AND APPLIANCES 370 



During the winter, or with stock that is somewliat closely 

 coufined it is usually necessary to compel exercise by forcing 

 the fowls to scratch for all whole or cracked grain in a deep 

 litter of straw or some similar material. Plenty of exercise 

 is distinctly a spring condition and should be required in 

 abundance save in hot weather, if the digestive and repro- 

 ductive organs are to be kept in good tone. 



The Amount of Feed. — While ability to so stimulate the 

 appetite that birds of all classes will consume large 

 amounts of feed with relish is the feeder's greatest virtue, 

 overfeeding is his greatest failing. Nothing will more 

 quickly defeat the very purpose of feeding, in contrast 

 to allowing the fowls to feed themselves, than habitually 

 ottering more feed than the fowls are keen to consume. 

 The dift'erence between "just enough" and "a little too 

 much" is a cloyed appetite and a listlessness that foretells 

 a limited performance at the nest or small gains in the crate. 



The amount of feed ottered to an}' class of birds, for 

 whatever purpose, must be governed by the judgment of 

 the feeder, based on the size and disposition of the fowls 

 and the amount of feed they are picking up about the farm. 



Tlie fact should not be overlooked that the crop capacity 

 of the hen is insutticient to supply through the long winter 

 nights the feed necessary for heavy egg production. It is 

 perfectly possible to overfeed during the day and underfeed 

 during the night. Both practices limit production. The 

 development of the use of lights to lengthen the feeding day 

 and shorten the night is overcoming the latter ditficulty but 

 the former must still dejjend upon the skill and juflgment of 

 the feeder. 



As a basis for estimating production costs or for purchasing 

 feeds the following records will be found useful. 



Gowell reports that the amount of feed consumed per hen 

 in twelve months by a flock of Barred Plymouth Rocks 

 averaging 144 eggs each was: 



Grain and mash ..,,,.. 90.0 pounds 



Oyster shell ,,,-.., 4.0 " 



Dry cracked bone . ,. = ... 2.4 



Grit . - 2.0 " 



Charcoal 2.4 



Clover . . , . , 10.0 



