SEVEN METHODS OF FEEDING YOUNG CHICKENS 



The purpose of this experiment was to test the efficiency for chick- 

 rearing of seven different rations and methods of feeding. The chicks 

 were reared to six weeks of age, the flocks each having different rations. 

 All flocks were then changed to a fattening ration. The chicks were 

 kept on the fattening food for four weeks before any were marketed. 

 Those that were too small to be sold at this time were fed until they 

 reached broiler size (i to i^ lbs. each). The fattening period was not 

 in any case longer than six weeks. All chicks, regardless of size, were 

 killed when twelve weeks old. The experiment was run from July 15th 

 to October 6, 1909. 



I. INCUBATION* 



The eggs used were from vigorous, mature, Single Comb White Leg- 

 horn stock on free range. The eggs were kept for varying lengths of 

 time, the longest time being 14 days and the shortest 12 hours. They 

 were held for a time (averaging three days) in a temperature of 69 degrees 

 F. and were then transferred to a temperature of 43 degrees F., where 

 they were kept for periods varying from one to seven days. The eggs 

 were placed in incubators on June 23, 1909, and the chicks were removed 

 from the machines July 15, 1909. Each incubator was washed with a 

 solution of zenoleum, and dried, before the eggs were placed in it. 



The incubator cellar was a room 19 feet 4 inches by 27 feet 6 inches, 

 and was situated in the basement of the Poultry Building. It had 

 six three-light windows and a cement floor. The room contained 

 twenty-six incubators. As the incubators were run in hot, dry weather, 

 the floor of the cellar was kept well dampened throughout the period 

 of incubation. 



The fertility of the eggs in most cases was good, reaching in one instance 

 100 per cent. The average fertility was nearly 90 per cent. The hatching 

 quality of the fertile eggs varied from 91 per cent to 61 per cent, 

 averaging 73 per cent, or 64 per cent of total eggs. 



The chicks used in this experiment were leg-banded before being 

 removed to the brooder-house, those selected to belong to the separate 

 flocks being given band numbers in consecutive order. The heads 



* This part of the experiment was conducted by .\. T. Moir, Assistant in Poultry 

 Husbandry, who also tabulated the data. 



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