FEEDING

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 40, 17 February 1933, Page 13

FEEDING

1 Today more than ever wo have to economise, and because feeding,is the i greatest expense in egg production we can look to it:first to save.costs. The question of keeping only good layers will be dealt with later- for it goes I without saying that it-is useless feeding fowls that even.under perfect conditions would not produce- well. Un: |doub'tedly most people overfeed their fowls, especially with the'wrong kind of foodstuffs. Glean fresh water and 'a supply of shell, grit, must bein. front |of your biids always. Some form of green feed should'be given daily, as much as the birds will readily eonsumo. Two regular meals are enough, but they must be regularly given, It is usual to give a mash in the mornings made- up from scraps mixed with bran and pollard.. Bemember that bran' whilst supplying certain requirements" is mainly a food used to give bulk to tho mash. If you are feeding a lot of very suitable green food you may reduce the amount of bran, using instead more pollard. ■' ' Protein must be supplied as>table scraps are not often sufficient in this direction, and tho best way to give it is .by mixing a small cupful of meatmeal with the mash to [every ten layers. Meatmeal can be purchased at any: supply ' stare- at a very, reasonable .price. Mix the mash ra'a crumbly state with water, or if you have it to spare, ailk or skimmilk". The old, idea of haying to mix the mash with hot water and feed it warm finds little support today. The | : evening meal should iconsist of tho very best grain. : .Wheat is tho most suitable of all grains for poultry, though, a mixture of wheat, fat oats, and maize gives tho birds a choice which they appreciate. M>w, there is no golden rule as to the exact amount to feed per bird, for poultry like ourselves have varying appetites. The better way is to feed just iis niuch as the birds will consume eagerly in .ten to twenty minutes. If you are going to get the best out of your fowls then you must mako use of observation, by watching tho birds and seeing if they are enjoying their meal. As a rule you are in a hurry in the mornings, and the food is dumped down quickly, and then you swallow your boiled, egg and make a bolt for the tram. Well, if you cannot check up on what is left, the sparrows will and you will be the loser. Remember that mash is forcing, and by forcing is meant that it is an egg-pro-I duc}ng. food, and that grain is fatten[ing. INowj grain costs more than aiash, so .say on your grain feed at night if you can. -. Good layers like to maintain a : little Teserve, fat, but they should never b&-so fat that they won't hurry to you at,meal time and always look business -like; scratching for a little bit lost in. the litter., ■