MANAGEMENT OF YOU 



with plenty of vigor, while later, the abnormal or artifi- 

 cial prolificness impairs the eggs. In spite of the uncon- 

 genial weather, March-hatched chickens are stronger 

 than those produced in April, and the latter, in turn, 

 are reared with greater ease than those hatched in May. 



But, after attending to the above considerations, the 

 chickens being hatched and assigned quarters, their 

 thrift then depends chiefly on their diet. Of course, 

 they must be kept clean, dry, free from vermin, and 

 protected from other enemies, quadruped and biped, 

 and be allowed space for exercise in the sun and open 

 air ; but all these things will not suffice, unless animal 

 food its artificially provided as a substitute for the insects 

 they would obtain if there were but few chickens on the 

 premises. True enough, chickens can be reared on 

 grain and vegetables alone, because they are like man, 

 omnivorous. Children can be reared without eating any 

 meat at all, but both men and fowls will do better with 

 animal food than without it. Butchers' meat, such as 

 calves' and sheep's plucks, are even better than insects 

 for young chicks, provided they are fed plentifully, yet 

 only a very little at a time, and care is taken to alter- 

 nate with grain and green vegetable food. Chandlers' 

 greaves may be used for chickens, if very nice and sweet 

 the article varies much in quality. They are very 

 cheap feed, cheaper than the fresh bits from the butcher, 

 but not as good for chickens as the latter. There must 

 be constant vigilance in supplying animal food regularly 

 and systematically. The young of birds in a wild state 

 are given an animal diet, even in cases when, as they 

 reach maturity, they live upon seeds. 



The young of our domestic birds cannot do their very 

 best upon grain and vegetables alone, because such 

 things cannot be digested and assimilated fast enough 

 by them to meet the great demands for nourishment 

 caused by their rapid growth. Nature has provided 



