AVOID BARE YARDS 227 



aware of the benefits of succulence, but because it is the most 

 troublesome part of the ration to supply, particularly in winter, 

 there is a tendency to side-step it — to take chances on getting 

 by without it. As cold weather approaches the fowls receive 

 less and less green food, finally none at all, until the advent of 

 spring, when the problem is temporarily solved by the sprouting 

 of a new crop of grass and weeds. 



There can be no doubt as to the trouble involved in supplying 

 greenstuffs, especially for large flocks. You can buy grains 

 and meals and most of the other supplies in sacks, and there is 

 very little care required to store them. But not so with green- 

 stuffs. Plant food involves farming; the crops must be sowed, 

 cultivated and harvested, and then carefully stored for the 

 winter so that they will not freeze. The alternatives are to 

 sprout oats in rotation, or to purchase plant food in the form of 

 vegetables, such as cabbage, turnips and small potatoes, from 

 nearby growers. 



Table XXI. — Feeding Rations for Laying Hens Recommended by In- 

 diana Experiment Station 

 Scratch Grains Dry Mash 



Pounds Pounds 



Cracked corn lo Wheat bran 5 



Wheat 10 Middlings 5 



Oats 5 Meat scrap .' 3.5 



A light feeding of the scratch grains is given in the morning, and all the 

 birds will clean up at night. Dry mash is kept before the light breeds all the 

 time, and for the heavier breeds from noon on. Succulent food is supplied in 

 the form of sprouted oats, cabbage or mangels. The following variations are 

 suggested: (i) Replace the beef scrap with 62 pounds of skim milk; (2) drop 

 the wheat and increase the corn and oats ; (3) give fowls abundant range and 

 cut down a portion of the mash. 



The poultryman has a wide list of plants from which to derive 

 greenstuffs, and a great number of ways of placing them before 

 the fowls. Practically speaking, almost anything that has 

 tender, juicy foliage, fruit or roots is suitable, from the grasses 

 to beets — mangel wurtzels. The point to bear in mind is, that 

 the product must be appetizing and palatable, or made so. 



Clover and alfalfa pasturage are considered to be the finest 

 sources of greenstuffs. Rye is another excellent crop, especially 



