230 THE BEGINNER IN POULTRY 



hands of the middlemen and sells at the rate of fifty dol- 

 lars, more or less, for a ton, but from the producer. It 

 is a most excellent laying and growing feed, for the 

 foundation. Two parts of this, one each of bran and 

 fine middlings, and one fourth as much linseed meal 

 would make an excellent dry mash. With ground meat 

 in another hopper, and a full hopper of this mill stuff 

 always before them, the birds would need only enough 

 corn and oats to keep them exercising. This feed ought 

 not to cost more than half as much as all wheat, while 

 it would probably give fully as good results in eggs, and 

 better results in the condition of yarded birds. 



One of the better-class poultry periodicals worked up, 

 during 191 1, a symposium on the value, in practical 

 terms, of the Wyandottes, the birds representing most 

 nearly the American ideal of a satisfactory all-around 

 fowl. Breeders of Buff, Columbian, Silver, and Black 

 Wyandottes took part in this discussion. A tabulation 

 of these opinions, the result of actual experience, shows 

 the breed up as follows : — 



Fair average egg yield, first year of laying : 



Highest, 200 eggs 



Lowest, 140 eggs 



Average of all, 1 66 eggs 



Cost to hatch and grow to laying age : 



Lowest (free range), $ .35 



Highest, $ .80 



Average of all, $ .69 



Cost of keeping mature bird one year: 



Lowest, $ .90 

 Average of all, $ i .26 



