HOW FOWLS SHOULD BE FED

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4467, 21 September 1901, Page 3 (Supplement)

HOW FOWLS SHOULD BE FED

In America the testing of foods for poultry is often carried out - at the. Government Experimental Stations, and much information is given to breeders on the question. At the statio’n and college at Guelph, in Ontario, an excellent feeding test has been, concluded. Bight lots of twelvg birds each were fed upon different rations, the foods were mixed with cold water, but the birds were not crammed, feeding from the trough during the whole period of the experiment, which lasted three weeks. The foods wore as follows: —(1) Barley meal and maize meal each two parts, finely ground oats one part. (2) Ground wheat and finely ground oats two parts, maize meal one part. (3) Maize meal and buck-wheat meal each two parts, finely ground oats one part ; (4) Finely ground oats and maize meai each two, parts, pea meal one part, (5) Maize meal alone, finely ground. (6) Maize meal alone, coarsely ground. (7) Fine ground oats, alone. (8) Ordinary ground oats, alone. It will be noticed that the oats were present in every ration but those devoted to the maize meal, and we may take it that as the maize meal in its two forms did the least good work that it was beaten on its own ground by the oats. The results were not a little surprising. Lot t came to the top with a gain in weight of 121 b, or 11b per bird.; lot 3 was second with 111 b; lots 1 and 7 were equal third with 91b of gain; lot 2 gained 71b Soviet 6 gained 61b, and lots 5 and 8 were equal with 51b. The heat work was done bv lot 4. in which the largest quantity of ground oats was used in a mixture, of which pea meal formed a part. The cost in this, case was Sid per lb of gain. The next lowest cost per lb of gain was given by three lots, which‘are bracketed equal, lots 1, 3 and 7. Then came Jot 6 with a cost of 3ld per lb. lot 2 with a cost of 3hl, and lots 5 and- 8. were slightly more than 4d. Curiously, as we have seen, the ooarso or ordinary ground oats cost ltd ai pound more for each pound of gain, in the chickens than the fine ground _ oats.' As the birds ate what they chose it war noticeable that the second ration was rot -.relished hv the birds, whereas the third and fourth rations were most readilv eaten. The birds ferl upon maize meal alone did not feed well, and it is perhaps for this res son that the results were so curious. When ' in. .a subsequent, experiment a rumher of chickens were fed in coons for 14 days, and subsequently crammed for 10 days, it was found that the best remits were obtained by those, which received the third ration, - maize inf el.: buck-wheat meal and ground oats. The food was roli'hod, the gain was rapid and the cost small; but it was also found'that' a combination of two parts each of .moire meal, fine ground oats and well cooked potatoes did good work. These fads testify to the value of,;the ground ,cats, which are so commonly used in Sussex. The whole question of, FEEDING YOUNG CHICKS

deserves the fullest attention, as upon it will largely depend the future of the birds. As already stated, there has been a revolt against pampering,' but it is necessary to see that" the other extreme is not taken. One would be just as bad as the other. We have always made it a practice to feed chicks the first few days on chopped catr and bread crumbs, slightly moistened with milk, but-we are fain to confess that w,e have seen chickens reared* without egg nt all onite ns successfully as any of our own. There'are those who sav that chickens will do much better on hard plain food than .with egg and other such—as they describe them dainties. We "do not think that very early < bred chickens would be reared without these kinds of food, but as to the later birds there would not be much difficulty with them;'as they .can get plenty of insect lifewhich, it must be. remembered, is their natural diet. We lay very great stress unon this point. Many failures in chicken rearing are. due to absence of insects and ground worms, or it may be to their excess, for one of the effects of con. tamination o£ the ground by fowls is that it becomes charged with minute life, of which there is either too much, or it is of an injurious nature. The question is one that has not yet been studied out. We are familiar with results, hut are certain as to causes. If the egg food diet be adopted it must only be continued for a few days, sav throe or four at most, when there should be substituted a plainer food, such as pollard, coarse oatmeal or coarsely ground barley meal. Food should he given warm and a*little at a time, taking care that none be left to sour and derange the delicate stomachs of the birds.

The question of feeding young chickens is all imnortant. for upon its food must depend whether the bird will thrive well, die a premature death or be stunted in its growth. It will be well to say here that "more harm is done by over than bv under feeding, especially amongst small amateurs. They like to give'chicks dainty bits, to be constantly feeding them .on rich morsels, with the result that they are often killed by kindness. The plainer the .diet the better, and anything in,the shape of sure to cause harm. Thousands of chicks die every year from no other cause than that they are overfed or fed on too rich fool. Where death does not result • r THE SEEDS OP DISEASE • are sown, and sooner or later these seeds are developed, and trouble is the result. In calculating what food must be’given to poultry, it is necessary to consider, first, that which is obtained naturally. Where fowls axe absolutely in confine, ment everything must bo supplied,' but when at liberty they obtain an enormous quantity of natural food, by which Is meant worms, slugs, seeds arfd lime, and the amount of this must largely determine both the quantity and nature of that supplied. First, let us look at tha question, of worms, which is of primary importance. At one time it was thought that the best soil on which to keep poultry was sand or gravel, but this is an undoubted mistake. Gravel has certain elements which are, very valuable indeed, hnt pure gravel is almost as deficient as sand in worms and other forms of lower life which are essential to success in jmultry keeping. Perhaps the perfect soil Is substrata of olay, with a top layer of gravel and loam mixed. Failing that, heavy clay is better than sand or gravel. This, may be heterodox, but it is truth nevertheless. Worms and slugs are essential to poultry keeping, they being natural food for fowls. What is the opinion of poultry themselves on this matter can be seen by the way in which they seek after and straggle for worms; and one advantage of,letting the birds ont very early is that then oan he obtained a plentiful supply. On French vineyards they follow ; the ploughs during the nmi*. die upturning of soil oft the vlmao, and every farmer ought to save the same nrivA lege te his poultry. The advantage will be all hie own, as they will obtain a large quantity of valuable food, to be obtained in no ether way, aed they will clean end manure the grenad.