PRAIRIE FARMER'S POULTRY BOOK 



white potato is anti-scorbutic and will ward off the disease 

 known as scurvy. Beets, carrots, Swiss chard, dandelion 

 leaves and rape will help prevent sore eyes due to dietary de- 

 ficiency; mustard leaves have a tonic effect and make a good 

 green food. 



Quality of Feed 



Sound and clean grains should be selected for the ration. 

 Sometimes shriveled and chaffy grain, caused by weather con- 

 ditions, contains a larger protein content in proportion to 

 weight than heavier grain and is perfectly safe for feeding, if 

 free from disease. Mill feeds purchased for the dry mash 

 should be examined with the closest scrutiny. The odor and 

 texture will be a guide as to quality. Musty, moldy and 

 spoiled feeds should be rejected. Rotten potatoes will cause 

 ptomaine poisoning. Rotten and moldy oats will cause As- 

 pergillosis. Tainted meat scraps have caused untold losses. 

 Putrid milk sometimes brings on an epidemic of disease. Many 

 diseases are communicated through foul water. 



Crude fiber should be avoided. It is largely cellulose and 

 indigestible. 



How Much Feed and When? 



Overfeeding results in serious disturbances of the digestive 

 system. An excess of protein means liver and kidney disease. 

 An excess of any one kind of feed, such as corn, often leads to 

 serious digestive disorders. Underfeeding is as serious as 

 overfeeding, for it means a stunted growth and weakness that 

 render the fowl suceptible to disease. 



The quantity must be determined by the attendant. He 

 must study the needs of the flock and feed only what will be 

 consumed without waste. The average daily ration of 100 

 Leghorn hens is 15 pounds of grain mixture and mash. This 

 would mean 10 pounds of grain and 5 pounds of mash. The 

 average daily amount consumed by 100 hens of the dual pur- 

 pose type is about 18 pounds. This would mean about 12 

 pounds of grain mixture and 6 pounds of mash. On free 

 range a Leghorn hen will eat about 55 pounds of feed in a 

 year and a dual purpose hen about 75 pounds. 



There is no fast rule as to the quantity of feed to be given. 

 A heavy layer 'will eat much more than a poor layer. Con- 



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