Feedixg Youxg Chickens 



1057 



wished from the first meal. Any one of these methods would probably 

 be satisfactory, if the ration pro\'ides plenty of food materials in good 

 proportion and condition. 



At the Cornell Experiment Station it was found that no injury resulted 

 from feeding unmixed beef 

 scrap to chicks of any age, 

 provided the}' had plenty of 

 other food suitable to their 

 needs. If the ration was 

 deficient in the necessary 

 food elements, however, the 

 chicks in their eft'ort to 

 supply the lack, ate enough 

 beef scrap to cause a high 

 mortality in the flock. It 

 was also found that 3-oung 

 chickens ha\'ing constantly 

 before them a mash con- 

 taining from twenty to 

 twenty-five per cent of 

 beef scrap, grew very 

 satisfactorily without hop- 

 per-fed beef scrap. Since 

 a good dry mash contain- 

 ing a liberal supply of meat food appears to answer all requirements for 

 young chickens, this is safer food for them than is unmixed beef scrap. 

 A wet mash may also be used, if desired. Growing stock on range, having 

 plenty of exercise and finding an ample supply of insects, will not eat 

 enough beef scrap to cause injury. 



Beef scrap should always be carefully inspected before it is fed, in order 

 to make sure that it is free from taint and from mustiness. Sifted beef 

 scrap sometimes becomes musty in storage unless it is kept in a very dry 

 place. In any case, beef scrap should never be supplied to chicks in 

 sufficiently large quantities or under such conditions that it may possibly 

 become musty before being consumed. 



The use of condimental foods and salt. — Alany preparations guaranteed 

 to produce better health and growth in chicks, with perhaps much less 

 food consimiption, are on the market. These condimental foods are 

 expensive and in most instances are of little or no value. If chicks are 

 strong and healthy at the start and are reared under proper conditions, 

 they do not need these foods; on the other hand, if they are weak or have 

 been injured by improper care or food, condimental mixtures alone will 

 not correct the wrong. 



Fig. 145. — The interior of the outdoor feed hopper, 

 showing compartments that may be used for grain, 

 dry mash, grit, and beef scrap 



