REARING POULTRY FOR PROFIT

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2298, 17 November 1925, Page 5

REARING POULTRY FOR PROFIT

HOW MUCH TO PEED. A point that greatly troubles many poultry-keepers, especially those who are beginners, is what quantity of food shall they supply to their poul. , try in order to procure the best resuits and to maintain the birds in good condition. Were it possible to answer such a question as this, by giving a stated amount, one of the most difficult matters in rearing and maintaining stock birds would be overcome; but it is quite impossible to give a satisfactory reply. The fact is the quantity must be determined by a variety of circum-( stances, all of which have a very ma- j terial effect. In the first place, it, depends upon the breed, some requiring two or three times as much as others to keep them in good working condition. From some very interesting and , exhaustive experiments conducted a ! few years ago by an eminent French- | man, it was shown that while the ' White Leghorn could subsist and thrive well on 4Joz. of food per day, j the Silver Grey Dorking required 6 3 oz.; while the Houdan required Gioz ,* •the Buff Cochin required 730 z.; and. while 4Joz. were sufficient for tht Hamburgh, the Langshan needed 7oz Thus at once it will be realised how misleading it would be to give any stated figures. Rules to Work Upon. Now as to the practical application of our inquiries. If we take the several objects which the poultry-keeper has in view, we get these rules to work upon in arranging our system of feeding . (1) Egg-production.—To produce eggs we must aim at giving the hen more food than she actually needs for her bodily use; that is to say, eggs ar>, a surplus product. Eggs are largely made up of nitrogenous matter; therefore the food must be largely of a nitrogenous character. Hence, dried meat, pea flour, etc., are good addl tions to the food of laying heuij. (2) Chicken Raising.—Here we want something to grow frame and muscle. We must therefore give food rich in nitrogenous matter, and, at the same time, containing a good amount of mineral constituents. Hence the value of bone-meal and bran ,as additions to the food of chickens. (3) Fattening for Market. —The object here again is to give a surplus of food in excess of that required for the usual functions of the body: and that food must be chiefly of a carbonaceous or fat-forming nature. Hence maize-flour as is well known, is an excellent “fattener,” as are also such things as fat meat. To ensure quick results a bird needs to be kept perfectly quiet, and the food is best given frequently in semi-liquid form.