332 FARM ANIMALS 



normal size or development from them. The 

 feeding and care are therefore of prime importance 

 in the production of poultry. Probably more 

 financial loss is suffered from inattention at this 

 time than from all other causes combined. 



For the first few days different poultrymen have 

 different rations which they use with excellent 

 results. A bread may be made of three parts corn 

 meal, one part bran and one part middlings or 

 flour soaked with skim milk. After thoroughly 

 baking and crumbling it may be fed to chickens 

 during the first few days together with a small 

 amount of hard boiled eggs, ground fine, shell and 

 all. Bread and grain mixed may be used as the 

 ration for the next two or three weeks after which 

 beef scraps are added in a finely ground condition. 

 This is not the only ration which nas proved to be 

 successful in raising chicks, but will probably 

 give better results in a majority of cases than the 

 much advertised proprietary chicken foods. A 

 small amount of grit in the form of fine sand should 

 always be added to the ration for young chicks. 

 Particular attention must be given to keeping the 

 food clean and sweet. It must never be allowed 

 to remain more than two or three minutes after 

 the chickens are through with their meal. Char- 

 coal, ground bone and sliced roots may be placed 

 so as to be always convenient for the chicks. 



Diseases. Unfortunately chickens as well as 

 other domestic animals are subject to a number of 

 diseases and these are often exceedingly trying and 

 troublesome for the poultry raiser. If the business 

 is carried on in a small way and the individual is 

 so constituted that he can patiently fuss with each 

 sick bird it may be possible to save a large percent- 

 age of them, no matter what the disease is. In 



