FOODS AND FEEDING. 
What to Feed. 
Green bones are not as extensively fed as they 
should be, because grain can be obtained with 
less difficulty and at a low cost; but as egg 
producing material, the bone is far superior 
to grain—nor does the bone cost more than 
grain in some sections. The cutting of the bone 
into available sizes is now rendered an easy 
matter, as the bone cutter is within the reach 
of all. Bones fresh from the butcher have 
more or less meat adhering, and the more of 
such meat, the better, as it will cost no more 
per pound than the bone, while the combina¬ 
tion of both meat and bone is almost a perfect 
food from which to produce eggs. 
If the famer can get two extra eggs per week 
from each hen in winter, he will make a large 
profit. We may add that if the product of 
each can be increased one egg per week only 
in winter, that egg will pay for all the food 
that she can possibly consume, and it therefore 
pays to feed the substances that will induce 
the hen to lay. If the hens are consuming 
food, and are producing no eggs, they will cause 
a loss to their owner; and this happens every 
winter on a large number of farms. The hens 
receive plenty of food, but not the right kind. 
A pound of cut green bone is sufficient for 
sixteen hens one day, which means that one 
cent will pay for that number of fowls. If 
one quart of grain be fed at night to sixteen 
hens, and one pound of bone in the morning 
it should be ample for each day (and the major¬ 
ity of fanciers do) we find in winter. In sum¬ 
mer only the bone need be given. Such a diet 
provides fat, starch, nitrogen, phosphates, 
lime and all the substances required to 
enable the hens to lay. As an egg is worth 
about three cents in winter, it is plain that it 
is cheaper to feed bone than grain; as the 
greater number of eggs not only reduces the 
total cost, but increases the profit as well. 
The bone cutter is as necessary to the poul- 
tryman as his feed mill. It enables him to 
use an excellent and cheap food, and gives him 
a profit where he might otherwise be compelled 
to suffer a loss. It is claimed that the bone 
cutter pays for itself in eggs, and really costs 
nothing. Bones are now one of the staple 
articles of food for poultry, and no rations should 
have them omitted. They are food, grit, and 
lime, all combined in one, and the hens will 
leave all the other foods to receive the cut bone. 
If cut fine, even chicks and ducklings will 
relish such excellent food, while turkeys grow 
rapidly on it. To meet with success requires 
the use of the best materials, and green bone 
beats all other substances as food for poultry. 
There is quite a difference between the green 
fresh bone, rich in its juices, as it comes from 
the butcher’s and the hard, dry bone which 
has lost its succulence. The value of all foods 
depends largely upon their digestibility, and 
the more this is provided for the greater the 
saving of food, and the more economical the 
production of eggs. —Poultry Keeper. 
The Importance of Green Food. 
There is another most important article of 
diet, without which it is absolutely impossible 
to keep fowls in health. We refer to an ample 
and daily supply of green or fresh vegetable 
food. It is not perhaps too much to say that 
the omission of this is the proximate cause of 
nearly half the deaths where fowls are kept in 
confinement; whilst with it, our other direc¬ 
tions being observed, they may be kept in 
health for a long time in a pen only a few feet 
square. It was to provide this that, wherever 
they are large enough,we recommended the open 
yards, when possible, to be laid down in grass— 
the very best green food for poultry, and a run 
of even an hour daily on such a grass plot, sup¬ 
posing the shed to be dry and clean, will keep 
them in health; but if a shed only be available, 
fresh vegetables of some kind must be given 
daily. Cabbage leaves may suffice, though 
they are about the worst of green vegetables 
as regards a tendency to diarrhoea. They or 
other refuse vegetables may be minced up and 
mixed pretty freely with soft food; or the whole 
leaves may be thrown down for the fowls to 
devour; or a few turnips may be minced up 
daily, and scattered like grain, or simply cut in 
two and thrown into the run. 
Lettuce leaves and most garden refuse are very 
wholesome, also dandelion leaves and other 
field salads. For fowls in a shed one of the 
best things is to cut a whole cabbage head in 
half and hang it up by a string, which will give 
the fowls both green food and occupation. 
Something they must have every day, other¬ 
wise their bowels sooner or later become dis¬ 
ordered and their combs lose that bright red 
color which will always accompany good health 
and condition, and testifies pleasantly to abund¬ 
ance of eggs. 
Wright’s “ Practical Poultry Keeper 
109 
