ON A TOWN LOT 35 



for them. Green food must not be overlooked. When it is not con- 

 venient to feed sprouted oats, alfalfa meal, cabbage or mangels are 

 splendid. 



Sprouted Oats 



Sprouted oats is the best green feed obtainable, and makes a good 

 cheap feed and is a great egg producer. The fowls are fond of it. Feed 

 at noon as much as they will eat up clean. To prepare, take a pail half 

 full of oats, soak in water for about one day, drain water, and empty 

 into a box with half inch holes bored in the bottom. Sprinkle night and 

 morning with warm water. When oats commence to sprout, spread them 

 out into other boxes two inches thick, and sprinkle twice daily with warm 

 water. Keep oats well stirred each time they are sprinkled, and in about 

 a week or so they will have sprouted. The length of sprout will depend 

 on the temperature of the room. When sprouts are two inches long, 

 commence to feed to the hens, and by the time the sprouts are four to 

 five inches long \ou will have them all fed, and in the meantime have 

 another lot ready to feed. 



Winter Quarters 



You will bear in mind that the most perfect winter quarters are those 

 that have conditions nearest to summer. I do not mean that the tempera- 

 ture shall be as warm as summer, but to have other conditions as near 

 like what your fowls are accustomed to in the summer as practical. The 

 sprouted oats, a generous box of gravel, plenty of dust in their box, 

 clean quarters, fresh air, and no drafts can be had with little expense and 

 trouble, and will make conditions summerlike to them to a large extent. 

 If it is convenient, throw a basketful of old plaster in one corner, and 

 it will be surprising the amount of this they will consume, and it is good 

 for them, as the lime is needed for them in the formation of the egg 

 shell. This will make a good substitute for oyster shell. 



Automatic Feeders 



The automatic feeders are a fine thing for growing stock or breeders 

 in the summer time. When the flocks are confined to their winter quar- 

 ters I would much prefer to feed in litter. The chickens must be kept 

 active to get the best results, and I find the best way to keep them active 

 is to keep them working in a good supply of litter on the floor. Hopper 

 feeding is all right to a certain extent. The mineral matter, such as 

 oyster shell, grit, animal matter such as beef scrap, and a dry mash may 



