Feeding Young Chickens 1951 



and reversed. The water will rise in the tin to the height of the top 

 of the notches. 



Access to fresh earth. — Chicks appear to obtain from fresh earth 

 something necessary to their health, and the\- should be suppHed with 

 some fresh soil soon after they are removed from the incubator. Sand or 

 dry earth does not satisfy the need. Fresh sod or a chickweed or a lettuce 

 plant with a handful of soil on the roots, gi\'es the right combination, 

 supph'ing green food and earth and tempting the chicks to acti\dty. 



Exercise. — Healthy chicks kept in small pens and properly fed will 

 grow very rapidly for the first week or ten da.ys, 1 'of course get 



little exercise. They usually become restless at this age and appear 

 anxious to get out of the brooder. If after two weeks they are removed 

 to a larger run, it will be four-^ ^''■" r they are much weaker and less active 

 than others of the same age ..-:... ..ave been similarh' fed but have had 

 wider range. In most cases the subsequent mjortality is considerably 

 higher in flocks that have bee Ined in small pens. 



When chicks are hatched earl}' in the season, it is often impossible to 

 give them an outdoor run. An incentive to exercise must then be sup- 

 plied. Cracked grain scattered in litter, a piece of sod, a chickweed or 

 some other greer - "' ' \ or a block of sprouted oats v.-ill keep the chicks 

 busy for some time uniess they are having other foods in too great quantity. 

 A small amc""" ' ' " "":ion or of fresh, lean meat, chopped fine, will be 

 scrambled afi;.. ught for as long as a scrap remains. 



Chicks kept ir .1 yards, if allowed to become idle, are likely to 



develop bad habits, such as pecking one another's toes, pulling feathers, 

 or crowding. Unless something is otherwise materially wrong, any ten- 

 dency to these vices may be broken up by attracting the attention of the 

 chicks in another direction and by keeping them occupied. If the 

 tendency - " ' become -a habit, however, it will be hard to over- 

 come. Aca\e, rju^j, jjroperly fed chicks do no" '----- arily acquire bad 

 habits, although they may crowd if the brooder .., i-^i opened early in 

 the morning; and in their efforts to get out, there is danger that some 

 may be trampled to death. 



Care. — The rapid development of young chickens renders constant 

 care and watchfulness of the utmost importance. Any slight appear- 

 ance of discomfort or of drooping may be the first indication of a con- 

 dition that will prove a menace to the flock. It is never safe to wait 

 long for developments; the cause of the wrong condition should be sought 

 and reme^-'- -^ --'mediately — to-morrow may be too late to save the flock. 



By carCi... ^.^servation from the beginning, the person who feeds the 

 chicks may learn to know them and will be able to detect at once a 

 change in their condition that the castial observer would never see. For 



