292 ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



sufficient inherent strength to develop, and ekes out its supfjly 

 about hatching time or about the eighteenth day. "Weak stock 

 produces weak eggs." Button-hole that. Some stock produces 

 weak offspring because thej were from weak parents themselves; 

 other stock produces weak offspring through improper food, shelter 

 and care, while it is caused in others by disease. In-breeding, when 

 recklessly done, is a sure cause of degeneracy, with its disease and 

 impotency, but when carried on with a point in view it is a good 

 thing. In-breeding simply intensifies characteristics, be they either 

 good or bad. One of the best possible rations for a chick, whether 

 reared under hen or in brooder, is what we call dry ration. It is 

 the nearest approach to the natural diet of a fowl possible to at- 

 tain. This method calls for all drv food, such as rolled wheat and 

 oats, small broken corn, rice or grain of any kind, small seeds and 

 beef scraps mixed; to this should be added small grit of some kind. 

 The beef scrap should be of good quality, that has been properly 

 prepared and nicely ground. This kind of food can be greatly im- 

 proved by the addition of some well-broken peas and beans, and a 

 little properly prepared clover. The peas, beans and clover furnish 

 the vegetable and green food, the rest the grain seed and animal 

 portion of their diet, giving them a most perfectly balanced ration. 

 Should it be preferred to add to this a mixed food, it should be 

 thoroughly scalded; if cooked or baked, so much the better, for this 

 takes away the unnaturalness of the food. But little trouble from 

 feeding is experienced when this method is followed. Those who 

 follow this system have but little trouble when care is given to the 

 proper mixing of the food, but when carelessly done and too much 

 of one kind is fed at one time, its good results are lost. Nothing 

 can be more injurious to a chick than too much millet seed; while 

 a little is excellent for them, too much is almost sure destruction; 

 the proper amount of prepared beef is beneficial, too much quite 

 the opposite. All these facts show the necessity of care in feed- 

 ing. Another fault is in giving sour feed. Some may mix up a 

 lot of raw meal or other ground grain and leave part of it until 

 next meal. The result may be bowel trouble. Don't do it. If you 

 must feed raw stuff, be sure to mix it up fresh every time. Only 

 mix up just enough and not too much. If you leave meal wet it 

 sours very quickly, in the course of a couple of hours. Never feed 

 any meal that is musty or decayed. Any kind of grain or feed 

 not in good condition should never be fed to fowls or chicks. 

 Musty grain or meal has likely lost some or perhaps most of its 

 valuable qualities. Any food not in first-class condition is liable 

 to cause some derangement in the chick's life and bring on disease. 

 The best is none too good. The best alone will favor rapid growth 

 and good development. A good way is to bake the ground feed. 



