WARM THE FOOD.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3033, 16 March 1881, Page 4

WARM THE FOOD.

It may seem old-fogyish to some to warm the food given to the poultry during the cold winter months, some persons contending that the fowls in their natural state never had aught else than cold food, and but sparingly of that. That is true as far as it goes, but then how much profit would be secured from birds left to care for themselves ? Domesticated live stock of all kinds are subjected to alteiod conditions from vvhai they were under when fi-ee and not under the restraint of man, and we must conform in our feeding and managment to these altered conditions, else we shall be just that far from success. If we want a good, healthy growth and an abundance of eggs from our fowls during the winter, we must not only feed them liberally on suitable food, but we must feed them in such form and condition as well secure the best results. After an experience o£ several seasons we have adopted the system of warming the food all through the winter and cold weather, both morning and evening, and we attribute the excellent laying qualities of the fowls, in a great measure to doing this. The food whether whole or broken grain, or other food either dry or moistened should be warmed well before feeding. Some breeders as well as farmers make a practice of parching their whole corn, and are assured it is beneficial. Where new, unseasoned corn is used for chicken food, this parching is a decided benefit, for it makes it equally as good for feeding as old, seasoned corn. Quite a number of poultry ailments are caused by feeding the new crop of corn, and pare!.ing it will effectually prevent any trouble from that score.

Wheat, which is no doubt the best kind of grain for the laying fowls, much better than so much corn, which latter fattens so quickly as frequently to stop the production of eggs temporarily, is much improved by being heated well before being fed, and then given to the fowls whilo yet warm, not hot. In feeding wheat, only about two thirds as much by measure should be fed as of corn; and when fed in that manner is very little if any more expensive than corn. Good, sound wheat only should be used, for while we see no objections to screenings on the score of unhealfchiness, screenings give but little available food.—Poultry Journal.