Quantity of Food. 
25 
accordingly. In was in this respect that Mr. Geyelin, the originator of the now defunct “National 
Poultry Company, did good service, and which it would be ungrateful not to acknowledge, to 
poultry-culture. It was a necessity his idea should fail, because, in supposing it possible to rear 
cnickens in immense numbers and to profit, in sheds only six feet by twelve, he literally “worked 
it to death.” But he clearly demonstrated what could be done in a small space by soft food. He 
was not the first to find this out ; almost every fancier had done so before him : but he was the 
first who publicly drew attention to the necessity and advantage of employing food in the form of 
meal, and of deodorising all the manure by dry earth in confined runs. In spite of the absurdities 
with which his pamphlet abounded, many of the principles which he enunciated lie at the founda- 
tion of all successful poultry management. 
No fowls require, at most, more than three meals per day ; and as a rule, do far better with 
two. The first should, or in confinement must, consist of soft or pulpy food of some kind, and be 
given early in the morning. If the fowls be at liberty, or have large grass-runs, they should have 
nothing further until about half an hour before they go to roost, when they should have another feed 
of grain. In point of quantity no fixed scale can be given ; some breeds eat double the quantity of 
others, and even the same hen will require very different allowance, according as she is laying or 
not at the time. Nevertheless, there is a rule, simple and easily understood, which will unfailingly 
secure both health and eggs; and that is, to give the birds just as much as they will eat with an 
eager or ravenous appetite, and no more. We are speaking now of adult fowls, and such must on 
no account be allowed to have as much as they will eat : directly they cease to run , if the food is 
thrown to them, or commence “ picking it over,” if given in a trough or saucer, it should be stopped 
or taken away. On no account especially must any be left. While no absolute scale can be given, 
for the reasons stated, it will be generally found that hens of large breeds, when laying or 
moulting, require about as much meal or dough as would make a ball two and a half inches 
in diameter for their feed every morning, and a ivomans handful (we mean to be taken with the 
palm downwards) of grain at night. Indeed, for large breeds this “handful” system will generally 
be a safe one as regards the grain ; but smaller fowls, from Spanish downwards, should have rather 
less according to size. But the only real rule is that we have given above, and we would add the 
caution that many, on trial, will not think it enough. We often have had visitors remark that our 
own fowls “ must be half-starving,” as they saw them fly up in the air when their breakfast was 
taken out to them. They are, in fact, always ready for food; but we are certain, from long 
experience, that this system of feeding is the best, not only for profit, but for real healthy 
condition. In bad or cold weather, or when moulting, a very little more may be allowed ; but 
we never allow our own birds (we speak of adults only) to eat to repletion. Such will always 
destroy the profit of keeping poultry, at least in a confined space. Even in strict confinement, 
where every atom of food must be supplied, there should not be a third regular meal, but simply 
a small handful of grain among every two or three birds, according to their size, to afford them 
gratification and keep the appetite alive. Occasionally, in such circumstances, the diet may be 
varied by giving the handful each of grain in the middle of the day ; and then, instead of corn, 
giving a very scanty feed of soft food, not more than half the breakfast, the last thing at night. 
There are yet some regarded as authorities who advise the old-fashioned plan of giving grain in 
the morning and meal at night ; but we have tried and watched almost every mode of feeding, 
and, without hesitation, abide by what we have laid down, grain alone giving the needful support 
during the long night which has to pass before the next meal. 
In choosing food, either meal or grain, there is considerable variety to select from, and it is 
well now and then to give a change. In arranging this, the poultry keeper should be guided 
D 
