FOODS AND FEEDING 
fowls. In short, it may be said that for general 
use the dry-feed system is ‘handier, cheaper and 
usually better than the old way. 
There is another way of dry-feeding, and that 
is the use of self-feeding hoppers, such as are illus- 
Feeding from trated and described in Chapter Five. 
Hoppers This system involves the least time 
and labor of any, and for that reason is a special 
favorite with busy people or business men who are 
compelled to be away from home except of morn- 
ings and evenings. The hoppers need not be filled 
oftener than once a week, and the feeding matter 
requires no attention other than that. As many 
different kinds of grain as possible should be kept 
in the hoppers, either separately or mixed together 
in the proportions suggested at the beginning of 
this chapter, and the birds will pick out the amount 
of each kind that instinct teaches them they need. 
The entire idea is to let the fowls exercise their 
natural tastes and inclinations in the feeding mat- 
ter, and they may go to the hoppers whenever they 
want to, eating whatever kinds of grains they want 
to, and as much of each kind as they want to. The 
supporters of this system claim that Nature never 
guides falsely, and that therefore the bother and 
worry of “balancing” the ration is done away 
with. 
The plan is very good for chicks and growing 
stock, and has so been used on the author’s poultry 
129 
