By Ferd. J. Sudow, Poughkeepste, N. Y. 



19 



ant eggs hatch within 20 to 23 days. On the nineteenth 

 day of incubation I attach a piece of J/-inch mesh poultry 

 wire in front' of hole on the barrel so the chicks when hatch- 

 ed cannot jump out and perish. I use a coop like illus- 

 tration. The entire front is of 2-inch poultry wire, and 

 place it in a shady spot. The shape of this coop keeps 

 the hen in the middle of the coop and she has little chance 

 to step on the chicks, which is a very important point, as 

 they are very small and apt to get under her feet, therefore 

 1 advise small hens for mothers. RUBEROID roofing, best 

 in the world, made by the Standard Paint Co., 100 William 

 St., New York City, covers the coop, which is thoroughly 

 whitewashed and sprinkled with kerosene before using and 

 every week the coop is changed. During wet weather a 

 board two feet square is placed in front of coop, so the rain 

 cannot drive in the coop. A yard about three feet square 

 made of a 12-inch wide board is placed around the coop for the first five days in order 

 for the young to get used to the mother's call and not wander off. 



Pheasants, when hatched, are very strong and lively and ready to eat. For the first 

 three weeks I feed canary seed, dry bread, custard, hard boiled eggs, game food and angle- 

 worms, and never touched their feed with my hands. Young pheasants should be fed at 



BARREL NEST 



PRACTICAL PHEASANT COOP 



least four times a day. I find that custard made of milk and eggs is the best feed that 

 should be given them for the first week. Feed them on a board or common pie pan. Water 

 is given once a day in the evening. 



English gamekeepers claim, in regard to first food for the young chicks, there is nothing 

 superior to a supply of fresh ant eggs. For grain, they also strongly recommend a good pro- 

 portion of canary seed in addition to grit. However, they claim when grain is crushed or 

 bruised its vitality is destroyed and that it undergoes a change, when exposed to the air. 

 The best substitute for ant eggs is custard, made by beating an egg with a tablespoonful of 

 milk and cooking same by gentle heat in an oven. No artificially prepared animal food can 

 surpass this mixture. I am confident that a larger proportion of poults can be reared if 

 custard and canary seed form their food for the first few weeks than on any other diet what- 

 ever. 



