THE POULTRY BOOK. 
15 
other food to he obtained by scratching, the production of eggs diminishes re 
markably unless the fowls are very well fed. 
As regards the number of times the stock fowls should be fed, we believe the most 
economical mode is to feed twice a day. The fowls should be let out early in the 
morning ; in fact, if there is no fear of foxes or other thieves, the hen-house had 
better be left open, so that the birds can come out at will. This they will do at 
daybreak, and, by wandering over the fields, secure a large amount of worms and 
insect food. They should receive their morning meal at a fixed hour ; imme- 
diately after breakfast is usually a convenient time. It may he asked. How much 
corn should be given per head ? We believe it is quite impossible to give to that 
question an answer that would he of any practical value ; so much depends on the 
size of the birds ; it is obvious that a Dorking of nine pounds weight, and a game 
fowl of five pounds, would require very different quantities of food. Again, the quan- 
tity must vary with the season of the year, much more being required to keep up the 
due amount of animal heat in winter than in summer. The work going on in the 
farm-yard, and the number of birds that are laying, will also influence the amount 
required to he given ; for when a hen is producing eggs, she will eat nearly twice 
the amount of food that she requires at another time. The best rule, both as to 
quantity and time, is to give the fowls a full meal in the morning, and a second 
shortly before going to roost. Many persons feed their fowls only once a day, 
usually in the morning ; the consequence is that they go to roost with empty crops, 
and as the nutriment they have obtained during the day is required to keep up the 
animal warmth, particularly during the long cold nights of winter, it cannot he em- 
ployed in the production of eggs, and thus feeding hens once a day is not favourable 
to their fertility. It is necessary, therefore, to feed liberally twice a day, if any 
large amount of profit he desired from fowls. There is one great advantage depen- 
dent on having fixed hours of feeding ; namely, that the birds soon become accus- 
tomed to them, and do not hang about the house-door all day long, as they do if 
irregularly and frequently fed. They consequently obtain a greater amount of 
food for themselves, and are less troublesome than they otherwise would be. 
In addition to wholesome and abundant food, a supply of clean water is indis- 
pensable. Some kind of fountain is better than an open vessel, in which the water 
is apt to become dirtied by the fowls. A very cheap and convenient contrivance of 
this kind may he made out of an earthenware jar, and an ordinary glazed flower- 
pot saucer, by boring a small hole in the jar an inch and a 
half from the edge. When required for use the jar is to 
be filled with water, and the saucer placed bottom upwards 
on the top. Both together are then to he turned quickly 
over, when the water will be found to flow into the saucer to 
the same height as the hole in the side of the jar, as shown 
in the cut. 
For those who desire a more elaborate contrivance of the same kind, the fountains 
of Messrs. Crook are to be strongly recommended. These pneumatic fountains a*-© 
