1462 The Cornell Reading-Courses 



Ash, grit, and charcoal. — Growing chicks need a certain amount of 

 mineral matter for use in bones, muscles, and feathers, consisting in large 

 part of lime in some form. Ash is not supplied in sufficient quantity by 

 the grains and the green foods; in the natural environment the birds 

 probably obtained it from the soil. Most grain foods contain less than 

 one per cent of ash, while meat scrap and meat meal have 4 to 5 per cent; 

 animal meal has 30 to 40 per cent of ash, and bone meal and granulated 

 bone contain 60 to 70 per cent. That additional mineral matter is needed 

 by fowls was proved by experiments at the Cornell University Agricul- 

 tural Experiment Station, where it was shown that the bones of fowls that 

 were kept from the ground and deprived of additional lime in the form 

 of oyster shells, bone meal, and similar substances, had much lower 

 breaking strength than had those of other fowls kept under similar con- 

 ditions but supplied with oyster shells. Oyster shells do not seem to be 

 desirable for young chickens, but the mineral matter needed may be 

 supplied easily and cheaply in the form of bone meal or of fine granulated 

 bone. The bone meal seems better for the younger chicks, and it may 

 be given with the dry mash or with the moist foods. If granulated bone 

 is used, care should be taken that it contains no fine, sharp splinters, as 

 these might injure the digestive tract of the chicks. 



Grit seems necessary for the health of the chicks, and from the first 

 meal this should be supplied in the food in such a manner that the chicks 

 must find it. They will soon learn to look for it. 



Fine granulated charcoal should be included in the food because of its 

 good effect on the health of the chicks. It seems to be a preventive 

 of some digestive troubles. The chicks eat this material with great 

 relish, and they may be given as much of it as they desire. 



Palatability of food. — If chicks are forced to eat food that is disagree- 

 able to them, they will eat as little as possible. Such feeding soon results 

 in slow growth and high mortality, especially if the stock is very young; 

 an unpalatable ration is therefore an expensive one, even though the first 

 cost may be small. A single food material that the chicks do not relish 

 may spoil the effect of an entire ration, particularly if the material is in 

 a ground food mixture. Food that the chicks like is looked for eagerly 

 and eaten with a relish, an active scramble often being an accompaniment 

 of the meal. If a sufficient quantity is given so that the smaller chickens 

 are not robbed of their share, all are benefited by the exercise. Eager 

 anticipation is said to promote the flow of the digestive juices, thus aiding 

 in the digestion of food. 



Variety. — Variety in a ration is essential for the following reasons : 

 (i) It renders the food more palatable; (2) it is likely to result in a better 

 supply of the materials necessary for growth and for bodily maintenance ; 



