RATIONS AND METHODS OF FEEDING 325 



"Late in the afternoon give the hens a good feed of grain in 

 the litter. Endeavor to feed sufficient grain so that each hen 

 will go to roost with a full crop. If a Uttle grain remains in the 

 litter, it will be scratched out early in the morning and keep 

 the hens busy until feeding time. However, only enough 

 grain should be fed to keep the appetite of the flock keen. The 

 action of the hen is the best guide in this respect. Experiments 

 have shown that the most economic production of eggs is 

 attained when the hens consume twice as much grain as dry 

 mash, and that a hen will require from 75 to 90 pounds of 

 grain and mash a year. 



"Grit and shell should be provided in open hoppers. 



"Skimmed milk may be fed in pans, as a substitute for part 

 of the meat scrap in the dry mash. The pans should be 

 scalded occasionally. Sour milk is safest and best throughout 

 the year, but avoid changing from sour to sweet or vice versi. 



"Feed regularly and at the same hour every day. Examine 

 a hen occasionally and note the condition of her body." 



The Massachusetts Experiment Station recommends the 

 following ration for laying hens: 



Prof. Graham says: "There are about as many methods of 

 feeding poultry as there are poultrymen, and yet there are 

 perhaps more questions asked regarding this subject than any 

 other. It is a well-known fact that one can feed almost any 

 ration to hens and get good results for a time, provided he feeds 

 enough of it; but to feed in such a way that the hens will be 

 strong and vigorous and have good appetites, and to get the 

 most possible for the amount of feed and labor expended, is 

 another question. In other words, the time has come, with 

 our high-priced feed, when we must feed as economically as 

 possible. 



"Good results can be obtained by feeding a grain ration and 

 balancing it with milk. A good ration for this method of feed- 

 ing is 2 parts cracked corn, 1 part wheat, and 1 part oats. In 

 addition to this, by giving the hens all the milk they will 

 drink, enough protein will be furnished so that they can 

 balance their own ration. 



"This ration can be varied, substituting beef scrap for milk. 

 The beef scrap can be fed in a hopper, and if the hens are in- 



