ELEMENTS OF POULTRY FEEDING 183 



and geared, and so devised that they can be made to dump their 

 contents. They consist mainly of a cylinder-shaped body, in 

 the center of which a shaft is operated. This shaft is fitted with 

 propeller-like blades or flukes that revolve and agitate the mash. 



A Cooker or Steaming Kettle is another valuable adjunct 

 to the feed-room equipment, especially where it is desirable to 

 feed hot mashes during the winter. The caldron may be used 

 to heat water for scalding feeding utensils, and for scalding ducks 

 for picking. It will be found useful in many ways where heat is 

 required. 



Poultry supply houses keep a full line of these accessories, or 

 they may be purchased direct from the manufacturers. It will 

 undoubtedly prove worth while for the poultry keeper to in- 

 vestigate them. 



Feeding poultry has more angles and arguments to it than is 

 generally supposed. The broad understanding of the office of 

 food is that it supports life. In the case of animals this objective 

 becomes more definite. We feed them that we may convert 

 certain vegetable, animal and mineral substances, which are not 

 palatable to the human taste in their raw state, into finished food 

 products which are edible by man. 



In this respect stock feeding may be compared to a manu- 

 facturing process. And this process may be divided into three 

 principal stages: First, growth of the fowl ; second, reproduction 

 of the species; and third, the storing of surplus energy in the form 

 of flesh. 



These factors are inseparable. We must supply materials 

 with which to build bone, muscle, tissues and feathers in growing 

 stock. See Table VII. We must furnish the fuel for muscular 

 energy, digestion, repairs to tissues and the renewal of organic 

 secretions. In the young fowl these elements promote growth. 

 When this growth is complete, or nearly so, reproduction com- 

 mences. If there is a surplus of material in excess of the require- 

 ments of reproduction and maintenance, which there should be in 

 the healthy, normal fowl, this surplus is stored up in the body as a 



