=^^ 



37 



1200 to 1500 birds to each rearing field, one man being responsible for their 

 care. This individual usually sleeps in a shack by the side of the field, a 

 shotgun always in reach to repel the vermin that the display of so many 

 tempting morsels invariably attracts. 



ORDINARY WETTING SELDOM HURTS.— Pheasant chicks ap- 

 parently are not hurt by dew and they can withstand a pretty good wetting 

 from rain provided they have a dry coop to which to retire. A chick will 

 usually come through a hard rain all right, if it has for protection cover of 

 suflScient strength to break the force of the downpour, but they succumb 

 in large numbers if subjected to the full force of a hard rain. Mr. Rogers 

 thinks it best to let the chicks alone if they get caught in a storm, arguing 

 that any efforts that are made will only result in scattering them. 



The procedure with the Dunn type of rearing coop (Figure 6-A, page 

 26) differs so little from the description given above that it is not necessary 

 to detail it. 



It is proper to hark back at this juncture to our breeding pen for a 

 moment and remark that our beginner will have placed his second lot of 

 105 eggs under hens some time before the first lot is hatched. 



THE FIRST FEED.— Feed your newly-hatched chicks when they 

 have finished their first brooding as described above. A delay of two or 

 three hours beyond this time will do no harm, however. Four feeds a day, 

 the first as early in the morning as possible, are necessary and five are still 

 better. The first feed on large farms is frequently given by 5:30 or 6 

 o'clock, but this will hardly be possible in many cases where pheasant 

 rearing is merely one of the incidents of the general farm activities. Not 

 more than three hours should elapse between each feed. 



A good first feed consists of chopped, hard-boiled egg mixed with 

 cracker dust to make it dry and crumbly. This is given on the New York 

 State Farm the first four or five days. A baking powder can makes an 

 excellent chopper. A utensil known as a "potato ricer," made by the 

 Grey Iron Casting Company of Mt. Joy, Pa., and obtainable at most de- 

 partment stores is used on some farms, but beware of a similar utensil 

 which is much cheaper and is likely to leave portions of the egg in such 

 shape as to choke the chicks. It is also hard to clean. On some large 

 farms a meat chopper is used for breaking up the egg. Whatever instru- 

 ment is employed, it should be remembered that the egg should not be 

 broken up too finely. 



Round milk crackers are best for dust and a rolling pin will quickly 

 pulverize them. Do not overlook uncrushed pieces of cracker which 

 may choke the chicks. After the eggs are chopped, sprinkle them lightly 



