REPORT OF THE POULTRY MAXAGER 265 



SESSIONAL PAPER No. 16 



HOW THE CHICKEXS WERE I'ED. 



The care and treatment received by the chickens was the same as in preceding 

 years. As inquiries are being frequently made as to best means of so doing the fol- 

 lowing summary may be permissible: — 



First Day. — Little or no food. A few stale bread crumbs if absolutely required. 



Second Day. — Stale bread soakod in milk and squeezed dry. Feed a little at a 

 time and leave none to sour. A small quantity of hard boiled egg, chopped, fine may 

 be added. 



Third Day. — Add granulated oat meal to the foregoing. Finely crushed wheat 

 may also be given, but in small quantity. Grit of small size should be now given to 

 the chicks. Place it in small troughs or in shallow pans where it is easy of access. 



From Third Day to Tenth Day. — Continue same treatment. At tenth day add 

 finely crushed corn. 



After this day whole wheat may be added. Give a small quantity at first. As 

 the chicks grow older they should be given a mash composed of stale bread, shorts, 

 cornmeal, ground meat, &c. Finely cut bone or meat will be found a great incentive 

 to growth at this stage. On the chickens becoming eight weeks of age their rations 

 may be dropped to three per day. Care should be taken that they are generously fed 

 at last ration. For drink give skimmed milk or v/ater or both. When fully feathered 

 the hen-hatched chickens should be removed from their ^nothers. The chickens will be 

 found to return to their coops as usual, and they are allowed to remain in them until 

 removed to more commodious quarters in colony houses. On the incubator-hatched 

 chickens becoming too large for the brooders they were also removed to colony houses. 



Many breeders give only crushed ground grains from the first with grit of proper 

 size always in supply. Excellent results have attended this method. Again, the hop- 

 per system of feeding the chickens is rapidly becoming popular. By this method the 

 food is before the youngsters all the time, in hoppers, and they help themselves to 

 what they want and when they feel inclined to take it. 



The feeding of whole grain in open troughs, of small size, placed throughout the 

 fields of our department last summer, was very satisfactory. 



Water is given at an early period of life in some instances and in others not for 

 5 or 6 days. 



It does not seem to have any different results in the desired progress of the chicks 

 whether the soft or hard, wet or dry, system of feeding is adopted. What is of para- 

 mount importance is care and regular feeding. 



THE FIRST PULLETS TO BEGIN LAYING. 



The pullets commenced to lay in the following order and at the dates mentioned, 

 viz. : — 



Pullets. 



Hatched. 



First Egg. 



White Wyandotte 



1906. 



April 2t 



,.24 



„ ' " 24 



Salmon Favcrolle May 2 . . 



White Plymouth Rock 1st week m May. 



Barred n •> j . " 



Butf Orpington i P" of 



Bl.-vck Minorca " 24 



1 



190G. 



November 24 

 28 

 30 



December 1 



6 



10 



18 



23 



