WITH 4200 HENS 121 



During bad weather when the birds are kept indoors 

 the grain is fed in the litter, otherwise it is fed in the 

 yards. During the dry summer and fall months the 

 yards are wet down thoroughly at regular intervals to 

 avoid dust and its consequent dust-colds and throat irri- 

 tation. We tried feeding part of the grain in the litter 

 throughout the year but this had to be abandoned. It is 

 impossible in this dry climate to avoid heavy clouds of 

 dust rising when hundreds of birds are feeding and 

 scratching indoors. 



During the winter months, when wet, chilly mornings 

 prevail, a light feed of grain is scattered in the litter after 

 the birds have gone to roost. This starts thera working 

 early in the morning. The air is usually moist at that 

 season and the dust raised is not heavy enough to be 

 detrimental. 



Beginning about September 15th and continuing until 

 about the middle of December the moulting hens are 

 given a special mash feed immediately after the grain is 

 fed. Special low troughs are set in the yards and a small 

 quantity of mash is carried to them in buckets. This 

 mash is wet down lightly with a sprinkling can of water 

 into which Douglas iMixture has been added at the rate of 

 one tablespoonful to each quart of water. A measuring 

 cup is used holding just the proper quantity for a sprink- 

 ling can full. Only so much mash is put out as will be 

 cleaned up before the birds go to roost. 



We use the 5-gallon oil cans, converted into pails, for 

 feeding the sprouted oats and grain. The weight of a 

 pail full of grain being ascertained it is an easy matter 

 to gauge the quantity that should be put into each pail to 



