Economy in Egg Production

by Mrs. A.J. Wilder

Editor Home Department.

To economize in the feeding of our hens, we should try to get results with as little expenditure of time and acreage as possible. We cannot produce eggs more cheaply by feeding less. It works rather the other way, for it takes a certain amount of food to keep up the body of a hen and that naturally comes first with her. Whatever food of the right kind that she eats, over and above what is necessary for the upkeep of the body, goes to the making of eggs. If the wrong kind of food is given, the surplus goes to fat and unless we wish to market the hens this is extra feed wasted.

Some corn is necessary in winter to keep up the bodily heat, but a little corn thrown to the hens is not enough for them to manufacture eggs from, nor it is better feeding to throw them a little more corn. Corn is a heating, fattening food and feeding corn alone, or of too much corn, simply makes the hens fat and does not produce eggs.

Corn is also more expensive than some other feeds that are better for our purpose. The same ground with the same amount of work will produce much more feed if planted to milo. Milo is said to have produced 40 bushels of seed on ground that would not raise 10 bushels of corn and the seed contains 80 per cent of the feeding value of corn. Jerusalem corn, kafir, and cowpeas, are also fine for hens and will grow more feed to the acre than corn.

Cowpeas especially are good. The hens will eat both the peas and the leaves and while feeding on them the hens will lay remarkably well. It is fine to have some planted near enough so that the hens can pasture on them and harvest whatever peas get ripe.

Some stock beets should be raised to feed the layers in winter. The hens are fond of them and they act as a relish and appetizer as well as save on other feed.

Sunflowers can be raised in odd places. They will grow very good heads without cultivation and for this reason can be grown in fence corners and other places where nothing else can be raised to advantage. The seeds are very rich and will make the plumage of the fowls bright as well and increase the number of eggs, and all they cost is the planting of the seed and the gathering of the heads.

Now, with the right crops planted to furnish our grain feed, let us see what can be done with the waste of the farm. Small vegetables, cabbages that have failed to head well and some turnips should be saved at gathering time to feed the hens in winter, when they will not be able to get green food. They like vegetables and the parings from vegetables either raw or cooked.

Let the hens help the hogs save the skim milk. Meat scraps are rather expensive to buy and skim milk will take their place to a certain extent. Meat in some form is necessary if the hens are to lay well so if possible give them whatever skim milk they will drink.

When the butchering is done there are a good many scraps and waste pieces that should be fed to the hens. Not all at once, as too much at a time will make them sick, but a few each day until they are used up. The lights, kidneys and livers should be cut up in small pieces before feeding. The scraps from pressing out the lard are also good. These will all help save the grain feed, besides being just what the hens need.

Another good plan is to save the wheat and oats in the bundle for feeding the hens. It saves the thresh bill and is much better for the hens to let them do their own threshing.

One very important thing in producing eggs cheaply is to produce the eggs. Otherwise what we do feed is wasted. To get the eggs we must feed a variety and if a part of this is what would be saved in no other way, we are turning this waste material into cash.

Mrs. A. J. Wilder. "Economy in Egg Production." Missouri Ruralist, April  5, 1915.

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