214 LIVESTOCK ON THE FARM 



The rest of this chapter was prepared by Prof. C. E. Brown, 

 head of the poultry department, University of Minnesota, 

 Northwest School and Experiment Station, Crookston, Minn. 



THE IMPORTANCE OF EXERCISES FOR FOWLS 



All classes of fowls require a certain amount of exercise to 

 keep them in good health. Many poultry keepers appear 

 to forget this, especially in winter when the fowls are confined 

 to pens. As a rule their method of feeding is to scatter the food 

 on the bare floor or feed it from troughs thus enabling the 

 fowls to eat it quickly with the least amount of effort. A safer 

 rule to follow when feeding, and one which should keep the 

 birds in excellent condition, is to compel them to scratch in 

 deep dry straw for all whole grain fed, or in other words, about 

 two-thirds of the ration should be fed in the litter. Ducks 

 and geese, which naturally do not scratch, require roomy yards 

 and a pond or trough to supply them with the necessary means 

 of exercising. 



FEEDS AND FEEDING 



If we would but stop to consider what fowls live on when at 

 iberty during the summer months the problem of feeding 

 would be very much simplified. On their daily rounds, they 

 secure grain food, vegetable food, meat food, grit and water, 

 all of which must be supplied in a clean, wholesome condition 

 when they are confined to houses and yards if we would have 

 them healthy and thrifty. 



Grain. — Wheat, which is one of the best grains for poultry, 

 is probably the most popular with poultrymen in the northern 

 part of the United States from the fact that corn is not yet 

 extensively grown in these parts. Fowls of all kinds relish it. 



Wheat bran is much used in mashes and is often fed by itself 

 dry, from a food hopper. It helps materially in adding bulk 

 to the ration. Shorts is also much used in mashes and is 

 splendid as a mixture for boiled vegetables or cooked meat. 



Corn, which is more extensively fed to poultry than any 

 other grain, is much relished by them. Care must be exercised 

 in feeding it as it is heating and fattening. It is best adapted 

 to winter use. It is fed whole, ground and cracked. 



