OCR Text |
Show FEtDING POULTRY. Dift'erent 1! reeds Kequire Different M inter Management as liegarils Their Teed. Experiments conducted in the poultry department of the dominion experiment farms at Ottawa, according to Manager Gilbert's report, make it appear that the different breeds require different winter treatment, especially as regards the feed. Manager Gilbert says: During the winter 1. Brahmas, Cochins, Langshans, Plymouth Ply-mouth Rocks, etc., require more oats, less wheat, little or no Indian corn, soft or stimulating food in moderation and a generous supply of vegetables. Lean meat twice or thrice a week and plenty of exercise. 2. Leghorns, Minorcas, Andalusians, Hamburg, etc., will take more soft or stimulating food, more wheat, Indian corn, with meat and vegetables in liberal supply. it. It is essential to success that lime, grit, gravel, etc., should be before the layers at all times, and that the hens be kept in activity by throwing the grain fed to them in chaff, straw or dry leaves scattered on the leaves. Soft or stimulating food is generally fed in the morning aud is composed as follows: A warm morning mess for the heavy breeds may be made of shorts, ground oats, bran and lean meat scrap3 mixed with boiling water. This can be varied by giving cooked vegetables instead in-stead of the ground oats or bran. Clover hay cut in small pieces, steamed and mixed with the morning feed, is one of the best of green foods and cannot be given too often. For the Spanish family a more stimulating stim-ulating morning mess may be made of shorts, conimeal, ground oats or barley with ground meat or meat scraps in judicious judi-cious quantity every morning, with a modicum of black or red pepper.- Vary by mixing boiled potatoes or other vegetables vege-tables in lieu of the ground oats or barley. bar-ley. Steamed clover hay at any time. In cold weather Indian corn may be fed to the fowls for the last meal. It is taken for granted that the fowls have comparatively comfortable quarters, quar-ters, with pure water to drink in regular supply; the chill taken off the water; the grain warmed in cold periods and the other directions, as given in detail in report of last year, carried -' out Should the foregoing treatment be found too forcing, the soft feed may be curtailed cur-tailed and more green stuff and oats fed. It is quite likely that thin shelled eggs maybe laid, and it is a sign thatthe hens are getting too fat. As a preventive mix fine ground oyster shells or sand, or-both, or-both, in the morning soft feed. |