FIFTY-FIRST ANNUAL CONVENTION 87 



ing the spring and summer months, they obtain a variety of 

 feeds for themselves. During the winter, however, when 

 there is little to be picked up, care must be taken to supply 

 everything needed. If hens are kept in confinement, it is 

 of course necessary to supply a complete ration at all times. 



Use Several Grains in the Scratch Feed. 



The scratch feed should contain at least two, and pref- 

 erably three grains. Often these can all be home-grown. 

 Where corn is the common grain, as it is in most parts of 

 Illinois, it should be used freely in the scatch feed. Under 

 normal price conditions it may make up from one-half to 

 two-thirds of the scratch-grain mixture. If more than this 

 is fed the hens may get overfat, and become easily suscep- 

 tible to the germs of colds, roup, and chicken pox. As a 

 result, egg production will be lowered and the eggs will 

 not hatch well. 



Wheat is well liked by fowls and may form a part of 

 every scratch feed. In feeding value it is approximately 

 equal to corn, pound for pound. When it is low in price it 

 may be fed up to one-half of the total grain allowance. 

 When relatively expensive, it may be reduced to a fifth or 

 even less. 



If heavy oats can be secured, they may be included in 

 the scratch feed, for the oat kernel is an excellent food. It 

 should be remembered, however, that the hull is mostly 

 crude fiber, of which hens can make practically no use. 

 The feeding of light, chaffy oats to poultry would result in 

 a loss rather than a gain. 



Rye is not liked by fowls; if used at all it should be fed 

 in very limited amounts. 



Other grains that, if available, may be used in a scratch 

 mixture, are barley, kafir corn, and buckwheat. 



The following mixture is recommended as a standard 

 scratch feed under normal price conditions: 



Scratch Feed. 



5 parts by weight of corn. 



3 parts by weight of wheat. 



2 parts by weight of heavy oats. 



