Part 10 (1/2)

_Feeds and Feeding._--There are two groups of materials that are essential in food rations for all ages of poultry. The organic feeds include grains and grain by-products, hays, gra.s.ses and vegetables. The inorganic feeds include salt to increase palatability and digestibility of the ration; lime, to aid in building bone and body tissue as well as to furnish the sh.e.l.l material; bone ash, especially for growing chicks, and water in liberal amounts supplied by a fountain as well as from succulent green foods. The fact that a dozen eggs contain approximately one pint of water demonstrates the necessity of having drinking water before the flock at all times.

The feeding of baby chicks, young stock and laying hens has been scientifically worked out by research and practical experience over a period of many years. The poultryman, especially if he is a novice, will do well if he carefully observes the recommendations of competent authorities. The ration for each of the three ages will consist of a grain feed and a dry mash composed of grain by-products reinforced with materials that supply the birds' daily nutrition requirements.

The following rations and recommendations for management have been prepared by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station, New Brunswick, New Jersey:

CHICK RATION

Baby Chick Grain

200 pounds finely cracked yellow corn 100 pounds cracked wheat

Fed morning and evening, beginning when chicks are 36 hours old.

Baby Chick Mash

20 pounds ground yellow corn 20 pounds wheat bran 20 pounds flour middlings 20 pounds pinhead oats 10 pounds meat sc.r.a.p (50 per cent protein) 5 pounds dried b.u.t.termilk or skim-milk 2 pounds oyster sh.e.l.l meal or limestone flour or bone meal 2 pounds cod liver oil (mixed with the pinhead oats) 1 pound table salt

This mash is fed to the chicks as soon as they are placed under the brooder stove. It may be placed in hoppers. Let the chicks have all they want to eat; some of the mash should be before them at all times.

Teach the chicks where to find the warmth by enclosing them for a few days with a 1/2 inch mesh wire one foot high and set from 10 to 12 inches from the edge of the hover.

Put some clean grit on bits of cardboard in several places around the hover when the chicks are first brought from the incubator.

A little sour skim-milk or semi-solid b.u.t.termilk, diluted 1 to 7 in founts should be available from the beginning.

After the chicks are 60 hours old or when you are sure they are hungry, begin to feed, using cardboard in the same manner as before.

Follow the feeding chart.

Feed little and often. Keep the chicks slightly hungry.

Watch for dead chicks and remove them as soon as they are noticed.

Attend to heaters early and late; be sure at all times that they are in good working order.

Clean out litter, particularly beneath the hover as often as it becomes soiled.

Induce exercise and keep the youngsters occupied.

Get them out-of-doors as early as possible, even if only for a few minutes in the warmer part of the day.

Feed green feed. Feed early and late. Keep the chicks growing.

_Growing Stock Ration._--The baby chick mash can be used for feeding the growing birds, omitting the cod liver oil if they are on range. The baby chick grain ration can be used also during this period but it need not be so finely cracked. Plenty of grain should be available at all times.

_Laying Ration._--When the birds are getting ready to lay, the ration should be changed so that during the winter laying season the mash will include equal amounts of yellow corn meal, wheat bran, wheat middlings, ground heavy oats and meat sc.r.a.p. Twenty-five per cent of dried b.u.t.termilk or skim-milk may be subst.i.tuted for an equal amount of meat sc.r.a.p.

The grain ration should consist of equal amounts of cracked or whole yellow corn and wheat. This should be fed in the late afternoon, giving sufficient to satisfy the appet.i.tes of the birds between the time of going to roost and a light morning meal. It should be fully consumed by eight o'clock in the morning. Adequate consumption of mash is a prime requisite in egg production. The feeding of semi-solid b.u.t.termilk at the rate of 3 to 5 pounds to 100 hens daily is recommended. Ten pounds of mangel beets per 100 hens or 1 square inch of well-sprouted oats per bird will supply needed green food during the winter.

In many cases it will be found more satisfactory to purchase ready mixed rations from a local dealer who handles reliable and scientifically compounded feeds for poultry. This is particularly applicable where the number of birds is of ordinary proportions. Little, if any, economy will be found in purchasing small quant.i.ties of each ingredient and attempting to thoroughly mix them at home. If the flock is very large there may be worth-while economy in home-mixing of the ration. The efficient poultryman will compare the cost of branded feeds with ingredient costs to guard against being overcharged.

In addition to the standard rations the growing stock and laying birds should have access at all times to grit, sh.e.l.l and charcoal, kept in suitable containers. These may be obtained of the local dealer.

_Sanitation._--When growing stock and laying hens are kept under modern intensive conditions the observance of the rules of sanitation is essential. Failure to observe them is likely to result in loss of production, serious sickness of the flock and the nullifying of all other constructive factors.