C.E. BRETT, Rhode Island State College Dept.
of Poultry Service.
Feeding Dry Mash
The most simple and generally satisfactory feeding method is the dry mash system. Feed a certain amount of the scratch mixture—whole and cracked grains—each day and permit the fowls to complete the daily ration by eating dry mash—ground grains—at will. Keep mash before them in open hoppers and let them help themselves.
The mash, because of its high protein content, is the real egg-maker. And during recent years there has been a tendency toward restricting the scratch feed and inducing the layers to eat more mash. Results seem to indicate that this plan is best, increasing the yield and reducing feed costs.
The laying ration now recommended by the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station is simple and efficient. This ration is made as follows:
| Dry Mash | lbs. |
|---|---|
| Wheat bran | 100 |
| Wheat Middlings | 100 |
| Ground Oats (heavy) | 100 |
| Corn Meal | 100 |
| High Grade Fish Scrap or Meat | |
| Scrap | 100 |
| Scratch Grain | |
| Cracked Corn | 200 |
| Wheat | 100 |
| Oats (heavy) | 100 |
| Barley | 100 |
The same institution has perfected the following feeding table showing what amount of scratch feed should be given the layers daily each month in the year. This is a most valuable guide, especially to the inexperienced poultryman. When the birds are fed scratch grain, as indicated, they will naturally eat enough mash from the open hoppers to meet their requirements.
| Months | Amount Per Day | Pounds for Each | ||
| Per 100 Birds | Feeding | |||
| A.M. | P.M. | |||
| November | 12 lbs. | 4 lbs. | 8 lbs. | |
| December | 12 lbs. | 4 lbs. | 8 lbs. | |
| January | 12 lbs. | 4 lbs. | 8 lbs. | |
| February | 12 lbs. | 4 lbs. | 8 lbs. | |
| March | 12 lbs. | 4 lbs. | 8 lbs. | |
| April | 12 lbs. | 4 lbs. | 8 lbs. | |
| May | 10 lbs. | 4 lbs. | 6 lbs. | |
| June | 10 lbs. | 4 lbs. | 6 lbs. | |
| July | 8 lbs. | 3 lbs. | 5 lbs. | |
| August | 6 lbs. | 2 lbs. | 4 lbs. | |
| September | 5 lbs. | 2 lbs. | 3 lbs. | |
| October | 5 lbs. | 2 lbs. | 3 lbs. | |
Study this question of mash and grain consumption, for if your birds are not getting enough protein mash, they cannot lay eggs in larger numbers.