Housing 141 



selecting layers. I believe, also, that when it becomes under- 

 stood it will be universally used. 



Although book after book has been written telling you 

 how to select layers, I have solved the difficulty in such a 

 simple way that I shall give it only short notice here. 

 Do not, however, underestimate its value on that account, 

 because it is one of the most valuable discoveries that has 

 ever been made in the poultry business. 



If this discovery is used intelligently, with proper feeding, 

 it will quickly increase your profits. But I wish to say that 

 this system of selection can be made valueless by a wrong 

 system of feeding which will cause your hens to set in large 

 numbers. The fault you will find is not in the system of 

 selection, but in your system of feeding. 



First select your non-laying hens, then by changing the 

 feed bring them into a laying condition. You can then return 

 them to the flock. If you are feeding the layers a light feed 

 give the non-layers a heavier ration. The experimenting that 

 you are doing will here be very valuable to you, so do not be 

 afraid to experiment. 



DRY MASH 



I use the dry mash system in feeding exclusively, although 

 about 90% of the poultrymen in California feed wet mash. 

 I feed the dry mash and keep it before the hens at all times 

 if their digestion is good. At about 8 A. M. I feed 100 hens 

 2y 2 quarts of grain and then about nightfall I feed them 2 l / 2 

 quarts more. It is scattered around evenly, so that all hens 

 have an equal chance, and it is thrown on top of litter so that 

 the hens can scratch. If the litter is light, some of the food 

 will be hidden and the hens will scratch after it. 



In feeding corn it should be coarsely cracked at first until 

 the hens learn to; eat it; if it is fed whole some of the hens 



