When the pullets are first put into the Laying House, about ten pounds of Mash is placed in each trough, this being estimated as sufficient for each one hundred birds. If it is not cleaned up, the amount, the next day, is decreased, but if entirely consumed the quantity is increased.
Over and over again it is stated in articles that large quantities of animal food and rich meals in the mash are very stimulating and wear the hen out. This is a great mistake. When the hen is being supplied with the proper ingredients for a large egg production she is not being stimulated, but rather helped and sustained in the natural way.
“Egg Foods” Kill Layers
On the market, to-day, is found an ever increasing number of preparations advertised as “egg foods”; “foods” warranted to produce eggs without fail and in record breaking quantities. An analysis of almost any of these concoctions discloses the fact that Capsicum, or in other words red pepper, is the basis of the preparation, or at least it is the ingredient in the mixture which is counted upon to produce the advertised results, namely, the certain and great output of eggs. If fed in sufficient quantities to actually stimulate the egg organs of the hen it must in a short time kill her, but if it should not have this effect, it certainly does put her in such a condition that she is worthless as a layer. It must be constantly borne in mind that the production of eggs is not a question of stimulation, but is the putting of the hen into a perfect condition of health, keeping her in that condition, and supplying her with foods which are egg making substances, and which nourish her completely, and allow a surplus to be turned into eggs.
On The Corning Egg Farm, this plan has always been the line along which we have worked, supplying the hen with the natural ingredients from which, in a healthy state, she is able to produce the greatest number of large, sanitary eggs.
Mustard Increases Egg Laying
For the last three years experiments have been carried on with mustard. It had been accidently noticed that table scraps, containing some of the leavings of a salad where mustard had been used, and which had been thrown out to a few barn-yard hens, were greedily devoured. It was further observed that, after a few days, the egg production increased. Following this interesting discovery, quite an exhaustive test was carried on with eighteen hens, running over a period of twelve months. The Corning Egg Farm followed this experiment with considerable interest. Six of the hens were fed an ordinary ration; six of them were given Red Pepper, and the other half dozen were fed mustard mixed in their food. At the end of the test all the hens were killed and carefully examined. The organs of the six hens which were fed an ordinary ration were found to be in fair shape, and those fed red pepper had enlarged livers. The six hens which were fed the mustard were found to be in perfect organic condition, and they had been in good healthy shape all through the entire twelve months. They had produced a considerable percentage of eggs beyond either of the other two pens. As a matter of fact the hens fed on the pepper laid fewer eggs than those fed the ordinary ration.
CORNING EGG FARM BOOK
SEE PAGE 147 ON MUSTARD.
By an error in printing, the paragraph giving the proportions of mustard was omitted:
If highly concentrated mustard is used, one teaspoonful for every six hens. If mustard bran is used, three teaspoonfuls for every six hens.