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Farm Field And Garden

Farm Field And Garden image
Parent Issue
Day
2
Month
December
Year
1892
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Notwithstanding all that has been written on the subject of winter laying the query "How to obtain eggs in winter?" is of frequent occurrence. With a view to satisfactorily fmswering the problem, Director A. G. Gilbert, of the Ottawa station, makes a report as follows: Answer can best be given by describing the rations fed last winter and the reasons for so doing. A hot ruorning ration fed during the winter was composed of: „ Pounds. Ounces. Jiraii o s Shorts ........ 2 g Ground mea] ï Clover hay, Bteamed and mixed in liberal quantity. Salt, very small quantity. Coarse sand and (iao ground ojster Bhells mixed, about Uiree bandiuls. The whole was mixed with boiling water. Boiled potatoes and turnips were occasionally substituted for the clover hay, for variety in diet is beneficial. The liens did not eat the scalded clover hay when exposed to them by itself , but readily did so when mixed in the soft feed. The resulta aimed at in feeding this ration were: 1. Greater economy by the ornission of cornmeal. 3. By supplying lime regularly in soft feed to prevent the laying of eggs with soft shells. 3. By avoiding too generous a diet to prevent the hens from becoming so fat as to lay eggs with soft shells. 4. To avoid by the oinission of cayenne pepper or other condiments a highly stimulating ration, often the canse of eggs being laid with soft shells or without any shells. 5. To prevent egg eating, which follows the laying of eggs with soft shells. C. By the regular feeding of raeat and keeping the fowls in active exercise to prevent feather eating, generally caused by the omission of both. 7. To prevent the acquiring of the bad practices named, the cure beiug very difficult, 8. To furnish the hens as nearly as possible with what they can piek up for themselves when running at large outside, such as insects in the shape of ground jneat, grit (to aid digestión) in the shape of gravel and broken oyster shells, lime in the shape of ground oyster shells, green stuff in the shape of clover hay (steained) cut short and mixed in soft feed, carrots, cabbage, turnips, etc. At noon, when gram was given, oats were fed in sinall quantity. Por the afternoon ration wheat was given, with barley occasionally mixed in equal quantity. Vegetables, such as carrots, mangels and turnips, were kept always on the floor of the pens. Very little cabbage was fed during the winter. The rations, as aforeinentioned, were fed to the following stock in the main building: Pullets. Hens. Plymouth Rucks 11 12 Brahmas 10 Langshans 4 BuffCoehras 8 White Leguovns lü 9 Wyandottes 9 4 Andalusiaus 8 6 Amoug this stock will be noticed numerous hens, soine of them old hens, so called because they were over two years and kept for breeders and sitters during the coming season. As there was no alternative, they were placed with the pullets, a practice to be avoided when possible, for the reason that the ration which would go to eggs in the pullets would likely make the hens too fat to lay. The effect in eggs of the rations on the pullets and hens is given as follows: From Dec. 9. Jan. Feb. 11 Plymouth Rock pullets.... 74 105 60 5 Plymouth Bock hens 2ö 18 15 White Leghorn pullets SI 112 121 K White Ltiiiiorn hens 10 20 18 0 Wyandotte pullets 29 50 99 4 Wyandotte hens 13 22 16 5 Buff Cochin hens 17 0 '-' 4 Langshan heus 7 1 8 UvuLma hens i . 13 11 9 lloiulan hens 2 0 It may be said that the showing is not a göod one for the nuinber of stock, but ie must be borne in mind that the feeding was only experimental. The result. nowever, is striking proof of the great value of pullets over old hens as ïvevenue producers under tlic sme oonditions atohoueing, care and feeding. The arrived at l'roui the experinieni are.: i. That no hen should be years. 2. No soft shelled were laid by the pullets, showing they are not so likely to lay such eggs as the old stock; that thodaily mixÍ' coarse sand, fine gravel and sifted oysrer Khells i:i small quantities I ative tendency. "■ That no norfeathera ha. ving been eaten to i regular snpply of ground soft feed is to be recommended. 4. A small quantity of wis mixed daily in. the hot mor ration, but as it created looseness its was gi w.n up. 5. The feeding of vegetables in geñérous quantity had the efof keeping the hens in excellent! conditkm. tj. catteiing'the grain food Qgtne ohaÉE and straw always on ■t the fowls active. This grain food should not be fed in too Qtity.

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News