FEEDING PRACTICES AND APPLIANCES 393 



spring. They are fed whole, by sticking them on to pro- 

 jecting nails about a foot and a half above the floor. Care 

 must be exercised in feeding them, as they are laxative 

 when used too freely. On the average about a peck per day 

 to 100 hens can be safely used. They would eat a much 

 greater quantity if they could get it." 



Forcing Egg Production. — "Forced egg production during 

 the season when eggs are the highest in price can sometimes 

 be accomplished by increasing the protein, especially the 

 animal protein, and stimulating the fowl by the use of 

 moderate amounts of pepper, onion, etc. This must be done 

 cautiously, however, and must not be continued too long. 

 Green feed stimulates in a more normal manner, by refresh- 

 ing the system. Any grateful change in the feed stimulates 

 the fowl."i 



Feeding During the Moult. — Poultrymen frequently force 

 chickens, intended for winter shows, to moult early by gradu- 

 ally cutting down the amount of feed fed to about one-third 

 the normal amount during a period of about three weeks, 

 and then during the following week increasing the ration 

 rather rapidly until the birds receive all they will eat. 



This practice results in the dropping out of the old feathers, 

 and if done far enough in advance will result in the grow- 

 ing of a new coat of feathers in time for the early winter 

 shows. 



It is a matter of common knowledge that hens usually 

 stop laying while going through their general moult in the 

 fall, and do not begin again until along toward spring. 



The question is frequently raised whether hens cannot be 

 induced to begin laying in the late fall or early winter by 

 forcing the moult so that it will be well over by that time. 



In extensive experiments carried on by Rice, Rogers, and 

 Nixon^ they found that starved hens produced lessi eggs 

 after the moult was complete and produced them at a greater 

 cost per dozen than with hens fed normally. Mairs^ also 

 found that the net result of forced moulting was against the 

 practice. 



' Jaffa, California Bulletin No. 164. 



' Cornell Bulletin No. 258. ' Pennsylvania Bulletin No. 87. 



