212 



long as there is a limited number of breeding pen:;, there will be a limited number 

 of eggs to dispose of after those required for home experimental purposes are 

 reserved. Stock was shipped to the branch experimental farms at Indian Head^ 

 North- West Territories, and JSTappan, Nova Scotia, 



HOW THE CHICKENS WERE CARED FOR, 



"While the chickens were hatching care was taken that the sitters were not dis- 

 turbed. This is most important, for if the sitters are disturl^ed after the eggs are 

 "pipped," the young chicks just coming into the world are apt to be chilled ; if the 

 hen is irritated or frightened she is likely to become restless and crush the young 

 ones to death. After the chickens were hatched the broken egg shells were removed 

 to make the nest more comfortable. But this should not be attempted by any but 

 an old hand. It is best to leave the hen alone if she is a reliable sitter. Occasionally 

 it happens that a hen will become so nervous or excited at the "peeping" of the- 

 chicks in their efforts to break out of the shell, that she will trample them to death. 

 Such a hen should be marked and not set on eggs again, as she is not reliable. One- 

 case occurred, in which the hen was discovered eating the egg shells before the- 

 chicks were properly disengaged from them, the result being the loss of four chickens. 

 A spare sitter was fortunately at hand and the remaining half-hatched eggs were at. 

 once placed under her and the lives of the chickens saved. After being hatched out 

 the chicks were allowed to remain under the hens for 18 or 24 hours, until thoroughly 

 dried. With the mothers they were then placed in coops outside in the sunshine. 

 If hatched before the grass had grown they were kept indoors, the bottom of the 

 coop being covered with sand. The dry board floor would soon have used the little 

 ones up, literally put them off their legs. Previous to being put into the coop with 

 her brood, the hen was fed and allowed to drink apart from the chicks, otherwise she 

 would have greedily eaten up the dainty food intended for the tender youngsters. It 

 must be remembered that for two or three days or nights the careful mother has not 

 left her nest, for had she done so while the chickens were hatching (except in very 

 warm weather) there would have been no chicks, as a result she is so hungry and. 

 thirsty that she will voraciously eat and drink what is placed near her. 



HOW THE CHICKS WERE FED. 



As in previous years the bread and milk system of feeding was adopted and 

 proved highly satisfactory. The bread was soaked in milk, squeezed dry and so fed. 

 Dry bread crumbs were also given. As the chickens progressed, their bread and 

 milk diet was gradually changed to the less expensive one of shorts, cornmeal, bran, 

 table scraps, ground meat, with all the wheat or crushed corn they could eat for 

 their last ration. When very young the chicks were fed about once every hour, a 

 little at a time, but often, so as not to allow them to get hungry. As they grew 

 older, they were fed once every two hours, and as they increased in size the rations 

 were gradually made more substantial, but reduced in number. It is important 

 that the chickens should be sent to rest with their crops full. A critical 

 part of the chicken's life is the first five weeks, while it is getting its feathers. 

 At this period all the resources of the system are drawn upon to supply the 

 growing feathers, besides flesh, bone, muscle, &c., &c., and it is neceee^ary that the 

 chickens should be generously fed on a variety of the most nouribhing food. A 

 chicken stinted of food, or allowed to hunt for its living, as is too frequently the 

 case, at this period of its growth, will never make a lai-ge fowl, indeed, if allowed to 

 become stunted from either of the causes named, no subsequent care wiH make 

 amends for past neglect. To have poultiy of large size for table use, it is impera- 

 tive that they should be pushed from the earliest date of their existence. This is 

 well understood in Great Bi-itain and France, where raising choice poultry for 

 market is made an important source of revenue to the farmers. If easily prceured, 

 milk, sweet, skimmed or sour, given as a drink, or mixed in their food, or left in open 



