298 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
April 25 
FEEDING A HEN. 
Part XV. 
While we are trying to collect some re¬ 
liable information in reply to those ques¬ 
tions asked by Mr. Truslow last week, 
let us take up a new idea. Ilere is a set 
of questions we have recently sent to 
some of our expert poultrymen. A part 
of the replies follow : 
Does the feeding of different grains to poultry, 
have any effect on the size of the eggs ? In other 
words, does the feeding of any particular grain 
make the eggs larger or smaller ? Does the differ¬ 
ence in size of eggs make any difference in the 
number a hen will lay ? For example, if a hen lay 
abnormally large eggs, is she likely to lay as 
many as thougli the eggs were of average or 
small size ? 
Mr. James Rankin’s Conclusions. 
I do not think that the size of the egg 
makes any difference in the number. I 
think that a hen which lays a large egg, 
would naturally consume food in pro¬ 
portion. I think that the size and fer¬ 
tility of the egg are influenced more by 
the quantity and quality of animal food 
fed, than by any variety of grain. 
J. RANKIN. 
“ Judgment in Feeding.” 
Where fowls are liberally fed, the eggs 
are larger, and especially when wheat 
or corn is the principal food. It is well 
kno wn that, when a hen lays abnormally 
large eggs, it is due to a somewhat fat 
condition, and she will cease laying* al¬ 
together if high feeding be continued. 
As a hen can only perform a certain 
amount of work in egg production, in 
weight of eggs, she will, as a rule, pro¬ 
duce more eggs of small size than of 
larger, a fact which has been demon¬ 
strated, though it must be admitted that, 
with judicious feeding, and the ration 
well balanced, she can be induced to lay 
large numbers of large eggs, but not 
when the food is too fat-forming. It is 
a matter of judgment in feeding. 
P. II. JACOBS. 
It is Largely the Food. 
1 certainly think that the science of 
feeding has much to do with size and 
number of eggs laid. It is the scientific 
combination of all grains that makes the 
difference. Corn increases fat, and re¬ 
duces the size of the eggs. Wheat, 
barley and oats will give larger eggs 
and more of them. The combination of 
30 pounds of corn, 15 pounds of oats, 10 
pounds of wheat, 10 pounds of barley 
and 15 pounds of wheat bran, all thor¬ 
oughly mixed, gives the largest number 
of eggs possible. This is used as the 
morning soft food, with 25 per cent of 
meat food, the afternoon feed being 
mixed grains. I look upon abnormally 
large eggs as the result of generous 
feeding. The hen that lays the largest 
number, always eats the most; that 
what we give them, influences the egg 
product, is backed by this. My brother 
has a hen which, in the midst of her 
clutch, will—by having a dose of sulphur, 
lay two eggs the next day. We have 
two hens that lay eggs weighing 37 
ounces to the dozen. We have 11 pul¬ 
lets that were hatched from these eggs ; 
while they themselves laid good sized 
eggs instead of abnormal sizes, they are 
the most prolific flock we have. While 
I have no actual experiment to report, I 
am fully convinced that a hen generously 
cared for. will lay both larger and more 
eggs. The last eggs of a clutch are al¬ 
ways smallest; the system gets ex¬ 
hausted. Grain or food—which builds 
up this drain, must also affect the weight 
and production of the eggs. i. k. felch. 
Doesn’t Believe It Is Feed. 
No, I do not think that the kind of 
grain makes any difference in the size 
of the eggs ; some hens always lay small 
eggs, while others always lay large ones. 
My experience has been that, if a hen 
be not fed properly, she will not lay as 
many eggs, but the size will be the 
same; for instance, the Minorcas lay 
very large eggs and if not cared for 
properly, will lay far less than if well 
cared for. But I do not think that the 
size will be affected, but it may be 
slightly, but I think only slightly, if 
at all. D. A. MOUNT. 
Several Points Considered. 
I would say, decidedly, from my ex¬ 
perience and observation, that the size 
of eggs is influenced by feed to a con¬ 
siderable extent. Just what kind of 
feed produces the largest or smallest 
eggs, I am not yet prepared to say. I 
believe, however, that eggs of maximum 
size are secured from hens that are full 
fed on a properly balanced ration. I 
believe that there has been a good deal 
of bosh written about the danger of 
overfeeding a hen, and getting her too fat 
to lay. It has been my experience that 
poor hens do not lay. The condition of 
overfatness and unproductiveness, is 
more likely caused by too little food of a 
muscle-making character. Not enough 
muscle-makers are fed to enable her to 
lay, so she stores up all the fat she can 
against a possible time of need. If more 
nitrogen were fed, she could lay, and 
the extra fat would go into the egg 
basket instead of upon her body. What 
is considered a result of overfeeding, is 
really the result of underfeeding. This 
may sound revolutionary, but my hens 
bear me out in the statement. While 
this is so, it is very easy to go to the 
other extreme, and feed too little fat¬ 
forming feed, and either extreme re¬ 
duces the size of eggs as well as the 
number. 
An abnormally large egg is likely to 
contain two yolks. In gathering many 
thousands of eggs a month, we fre¬ 
quently find such eggs, and I notice that 
they usually are found in certain pens, 
leading me to suppose that they are laid 
by the same hens, and are due to the in¬ 
dividuality of certain hens rather than 
to the feed. The trait is, probably, 
hereditary, and a good sign of a prolific 
hen. We have been feeding several 
pens of Minorcas this winter, and while 
it is certain that, as pullets, they lay 
larger eggs than the Leghorns, it is 
equally certain that they consume more 
food in order to make an equal number 
of eggs. The difference in their capacity 
for food is very noticeable. I judge that 
a hen that is fed to produce large eggs, 
will also produce the greatest number. 
The 11. N.-Y. articles on “ Feeding a 
Hen,'’ have made it very plain that the 
amount of scientific knowledge on the 
subject is still very limited. The man 
who knows what a balanced ration fora 
hen is, has not yet appeared on the sur¬ 
face. Here is an excellent chance for 
some carefully conducted experiments, 
such as our experiment stations should 
be prepared to conduct. The hen will 
respond readily to the man who knows 
how to ask her questions, o. w. MARKS. 
Live Stock Matters 
FORKFULS OF FACTS. 
Roots for Hogs —In reply to E. J. S., 
Hanover, Wis., page 235, as a matter of 
experiment, I have wintered two two- 
year-old sows entirely on large red man¬ 
gels, fed raw. They have gained in 
flesh, and wintered as well as others fed 
on wheat middlings, bran and beets. Tne 
two were fed all the mangels they would 
eat, which was about one bushel per 
day. They had a warm place to sleep, 
and an open shed in which to exercise. 
One of the sows farrowed 10 pigs, March 
24; the pigs were strong, and have grown 
finely. I consider mangels the cheapest 
hog feed on earth. I can raise about 
four bushels of mangels to one of carrots. 
Tompkins Co., N. Y. w. e. mandevillk. 
Sex in Breeding. —In regard to sex in 
animals, if heifers are desired, let the 
cows be mated as soon as found in heat. 
One man near here had a yearling Jer¬ 
sey bull which did not run with the 
cows. His pasture was handy, and when 
he noticed a cow in heat, he left his 
work and had her served. He had only 
nine cows, and they had nine heifer 
calves. One of his neighbors also had 
nine cows, which were served by the 
same bull after milking time, and he 
had nine bull calves. l. m. 
Windham, N. Y. 
ittiscrilancous guUcvtisinfl. 
IN writing to advertisers, please always mention 
The Rural New-Yorker. 
that 
WEARS 
The enamel and nickel that 
are applied to Columbia Bicy¬ 
cles know no equal for beauty. 
Better still, this beauty is the 
same a year hence—two years 
hence. A rub of the polish¬ 
ing cloth,and Columbia enamel 
shines like new. In every detail 
you can be sure of Columbias— 
unequalled, unapproached. 
Standard of the World. 
$100 
to all 
alike 
Columbias in construc¬ 
tion and quality are in 
a class by themselves. 
POPE MFG. CO., Hartford, Conn. 
Columbia Art Catalogue, telling fully of all fea¬ 
tures of Columbias—and of Hartford bicycles, 
next best, 880, 860,850—is free from the Colum¬ 
bia agent or is mailed for two 2-cent stamps. 
Buckeye Wrought Iron Punched Rail Fence 
tlw manufacturer! of Iron Creating, Iron Turbine and 
Buckeye Wind Engine*, Buckeye Force Pump*, 
Buckeye, ©lobe and Champion Lawn Mower*. Send 
for llluttiratad Catalogue and Prices to 
MAST. FOOS & CO. SPRINGFIELD. O. 
u n aoa m m w 
THIS OHSTIE^ 
This One 
8TA2STDS 
No Leakage about. 
No Need of Repairing.. 
No Hoops to come off... 
You will be Pleased with 
A Tank that Holds Water! 
and always ready for it. i 
Write for descriptive circular, rates, and do it I 
now, because you may soon greatly need it. 5 
KELLY FOUNDRY & MACH. CO., | 
27 Purl Street, - GOSHEN. IND, * 
^ ^a m mra» ■ *^ m ri — -,ma m *1* gi m • — 1 
ww'uv'w'vwvwvuv'vvv'wwmuw'v 
IF YOU NEED 
Machine Oil. Harness Oil, 
Cylinder Oil, Axle Grease, 
Gasoline for Stoves 
or Gas Machines, 
! or anything in the line of oils or greases, write 1 
' us for prices. DERRICK OIL COMPANY, ' 
1 Titusville, Pa. 
•OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 
Such ills as 
SORENESS, 
STIFFNESS, 
and the like, 
ST. JACOBS OIL 
WIPES OUT 
Promptly and Effectually. 
Do You Use a Churn ? 
If so, you should try a 
DIAMOND 
BALANCE CHURN. 
It chnmsEasier, Quicker.Closer, and 
is more Convenient than any other. 
Every user’s word for it. Send for circular and intro¬ 
ductory price, if we have no agent in your locality, to 
Mention thin paper. IMiimiind Balance Churn t o. Bnlliton Spa,, V. t, 
Ideal Babcock Milk Tester 
The only low priced 
accurate tester on the 
market. We tiro com¬ 
plete outfitters of 
Dairies. Creameries 
ami Cheese Factories. 
Among our specialties 
are: Farm Roilers and 
Engines, Feed Cook¬ 
ers, Separators, Dog 
Powers,Milk Coolers, 
Cream and Cheese 
Vats, Creamers, 
Churus.Hutter Work¬ 
ers, Printers and 
Wrappers, Shipping 
Boxes, Rennet Ex¬ 
tract., Preservative, Seales, etc. Please send 
for our free Illustrated Dairy Catalogue. 
CREAHERY PACKAGE MFG. CO., 
1-3-5 W. Washington St., Chicago, III. 
TIIE COMMON 
SENSE 
MILK BOTTLE 
No rusty metal covers or twisted wire 
fasteners, less breakage, and can be 
washed absolutely clean and much quicker 
than any other milk bottle, avoiding 
tainted or sour milk. It is the handsomest, 
cheapest and best milk-bottle ever offered 
for sale in any market. For Circulars and 
Price Lists, send your address to 
THATCHER MFG. COMPANY, Potsdam. N. Y. 
No More Tainted or Stale Butter. 
If Creamery and Dairymen pack 
their butter fresh from the churn 
In RECORD’ST1GHT-SEALCOVER 
PACKAGES, they can provide their 
natrons with delicious butter, free 
from taints. These packages are 
air-tight, and can bo opened and 
closed instantly; in9 sizes, from 1 lb. 
to 60. We mail sample 1 lb. for 10c. 
Write for quotations. RECORD 
MFG. CO., ill Main St, Conneaut, O. 
USED ALSO FOR LAUD. 
Buy our “ECLIPSE ROOFING PAINT” and 
“ECLIPSE” PAINTED STEEL 
ROOFING 
Absolutely guaranteed for five years. Write 
CURTIS STEEL ROOFING COMPANY, 
57 Sigler Street. Niles. O. 
UARTER OF CENTURY OLD. 
'AY’S MANILLA 
ROOFING. 
s$ BSngWATER PROOFS tSST 4 
No ItUST nor RATTLE. Outlasts tin or iron. 
( i Durable Substitute lor Plaster on wall*. 
Voter I’rotd Sheathing of same material, the 
best and cheapest in the marLet. Write for samples, <fce. 
The FAY J1IA N1 LI, A ROOFING CO., CAMDEN -ii J. 
GREIDER’S NEW CATALOGUE 
FOR 1896. Finer and larger than ever, the finest 
engravings of poultry, with descriptions of each 
variety, best plans for poultry houses, how to 
raise broilers, caring of fowls, remedies for all 
diseases, best lice destroyer,prices of eggs and stock 
from high scoring birds,send 10 centsfor this noted 
book which will be deducted from first order. 
Address, B. H. GREIDER, FLORIN, PA„ U. S. A. 
NEW MAMMOTH POULTRY 
CUFDE showing colored plate of chickens 
in natural colors. Finest book ever pub¬ 
lished. Almost 100 pages. Tells all about 
Poultry for Profit or Pleasure. Price only 15c. 
JOHN BAUSCHER, JR.. Box 66 Freeport, Ills. 
Crflfl P stain mi Q of 22 varieties of prize winning 
II Cu UdialUgUB fowls. 32 prizes at one show. 
Every bird bears a score card by F. H. Shellabarger. 
Scientific Poultry Yds, W. E. Sennetf, Prop., Dixon, Ill. 
CLEANINCS IN 
SEND FOR 
Sample cop; a* 
BEE CULTURE 
A Handsomely Illustrated OCCCIIDDI ICC 
Magazine, and Catalog, oi DLL OUilLICO 
FREE. THE A. I. ROOTL’D., Medina.O. 
BEES 
QUEENS 
HIVES 
All supplies for the Apiary can be 
obtained at Cook’s Beekeepers Sup¬ 
ply House New York City. Send for 
full descriptive catalogue. 
J H. M. COOK, 
283 Washington Street, New York City. 
A SOLID 
LINIMENT 
FOR MAN 
OR BEAST 
Heals fresh cuts without a scar, 
and cures old sores and lameness. 
Inflamed Udder (Garget) cured in 
12 hrs. Also, cures Rheumatism 
In pigs and other animals. No bad 
smell or stain; fully guaranteed 
50c. a box, postpaid. PASTEUR A 
MEDICINE CO., Chittenango.N.Y. 
