SCRATCHINGS.
Experiments have proved that cockerels fed meat gained 50 per cent. more weight, ana pullets feel meat laid eightweeks earlier than those without meat, but otherwise fed the same foods. Meatfed ducks were far ahead of those that received no animal food. Mr T. Wittman says : “A splendid way to treat hen s found too fat at the opening of the laying season is by using saffron tea (one ounce to one gallon of water boiled brown to about three quarts), and by simply cooping without food fo r one half of each day till reduced to normal weight. Salt should always be used in the soft food, as it keeps the whole system in working order. It also assists to keep the blood free from impurities, which means healthy fowls, -those little gizzard worms have no chance with fowls that are fed salt in their food. Separate the laying fowls from the non-layers. In fact, you cannot keep old hens, pullets, fat hens, and lean hens together any more than you can any other animals. Laying hens require a different ration to the non-layer, or fat hen. All should be separated accordingly, and fed on their proper ration. One quart, of wheat per day is considered liberal feeding for 10 bens. But when fowls are fed a breakfast of soft food, green food and .animal food at midday, one pint of wheat would be sufficent. No rule can be laid down for a correct quantity, as fowls differ in their appetites, as we do ourselves. One quart of wheat per day is conspecial attention; they will repay the owner four-fold for this special care. Be careful over their sleeping quarters, and seo that they are not too hot or too cold, and should be given all the food they will eat. Early chickens require more food than chickens hatched late in the season, and will bear with a more heatgiving ration than birds hatched in warmer weather. Green Cut Boues.—Green bones cannot be ground. They are generally cut with a “green bone cutter’ made for th© purpose. Fresh, green bones contain meat, cil, and phosphate of lime; they also contain a fair amount of nitrogen, independent of the adhering meat, cartil-
age, and marrow. Bones ane more con cent rated food than any of therefore, should be used accord gly a fn.iv allowance for each aauit iowi would be one ounce two or three times a week. The poultry breeder should feed for an object— hens for egg-preduction; young birds *'or growth; and birds for table, for weight and fat. If we were to give the table-bird’s ration to the laying hen we should soon stop her egg-production; therefore it is well to understand that a properly-balanced ration for one fowl will not suit another. Again, we will find one hen in a pen differing from her mates in the quantity of food eaten, the returns given, and even in taste ana digestion. So we see how difficult it is to lay down any strict law of feeding. Climate, breed, and management has much to do with feeding. An observant poultry keeper should be able to test ancl find out in a short time the proper food and ration to give to his fowls. Some will say "How are we to know that we are feeding our fowls properly? . tins way: First, the fowl’s droppings will inform you. A fowl in good health and. condition will void droppings nearly dry; a fowl out of health and condition will show a looseness m Hairfluid yellowish droppings are signs of liver disease; greenisli-black droppings, mixed with a reddish mucous, show too heavy feeding of meaty and rich foods-. Secondly, by catching the hens and examining for fat. Thirdly, if the liens are putting on fat instead of laying eggs they arse overfed or getting a fatforming ration —not sufficient nitrogenous nutrients in the food used.
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Bibliographic details
New Zealand Mail, Issue 1636, 8 July 1903, Page 64 (Supplement)
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655SCRATCHINGS. New Zealand Mail, Issue 1636, 8 July 1903, Page 64 (Supplement)
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