396 I'OULTUY PRUDUCriON 



All classes of birds under lights should Ije more ]R•a^'ily 

 grained than is customary under ordinary feeding conditions. 

 The ])uri)ose of this is the maintenance of body weight. If 

 it is not done the birds will lose weight rapidly under the 

 drain of hea\'>' laying, and are likely to go to pieces in the 

 spring, so far as production is concerned. Lewis' found tliat 

 for heavy producing Leghorn pullets Id pounds of grain 

 daily for each 1(10 birds was about the right amount, dry 

 mash being availal.)le at all tnnes. 



After April 1st the shortening of the period of lighting 

 under any method should be very gradual, a reduction of 

 ten minutes a day being the maximum. The sudden stop- 

 ping of lights is Cjuite likely to bring on a spring molt w hich 

 is disastrous to production. L-regularity will produce a like 

 result. 



Typical Laying Rations. — The Purdue Experiment Station- 

 has had excellent success with the following ration for laying 

 hens in confinement: 



Grain Dry mash. 



10 pounds corn 5 pounds bran 



10 pounds wheat 5 pounds shorts 



5 pounds oats 3J pounds meat scraps 



25 pounds 13 J pounds 



The grain mixture is fed in a dee]5 litter, a light feed 

 being given in the morning, and all the hens will consume 

 in the evening. The dry-mash hopper is kept open all the 

 time in the case of the lighter breeds, but is left closed until 

 noon for the middle-weight and heavy breeds. In the 

 winter, succulence in the form of silage, sprouted oats, 

 cabbage, or stock beets is supplied. Professor Philips 

 suggests the following possible variations in this ration: 



(1) replace the beef scrap with 50 pounds of skim milk; 



(2) drop out the wheat and increase the corn and oats; 

 (o) in case fowls are following stock and can ])ick up an 

 abundance of corn, the grain portion of the ration may be 

 greatly reduced; (4) during tlie summer when the fowls 



' nilil.3 to Poiiltrynien, vol. ix, Ni. 1 

 Purduf; Extension Bullcliii Ki. 10, and Purdue Bulletin No. 218. 



