68 BROILERS AND ROASTERS. 



as a steady diet according to their consistency. Their 

 composition has more effect on growth than on health. A 

 cake that is heavy and doughy, or a soggy mash, will 

 quickly put a good proportion of the chicks in brooders to 

 which it is fed to the bad, while a food of like composition 

 but well prepared would give very good results. Variety 

 in a ration generally gives better growth than a monoto- 

 nous ration, especially if the ration contains but a single 

 article, yet it is possible to get better results from a well 

 made all corn meal cake than from a poorly made ration 

 much better balanced in its constituents. Such facts as 

 these will account for some of the differences in method, 

 and radical differences of opinion as to values of methods 

 which puzzle the beginner when he discovers how even 

 successful poultry men will disagree in matters of this kind. 



Baking cakes is too much work to allow of the use of 

 much baked cake where large numbers of chicks are 

 handled. For a few chicks it may be the most satisfac- 

 tory way, particularly when the chicks are small and 

 require but a little food at a time. Under such conditions 

 a baked cake comes in very handy, as it will keep for days 

 when a mash would get heavy or sour or moldy. Some 

 large growers like to use baked cakes for their youngest 

 chickens, but for economy of labor it is better to have one 

 system for all chicks, and so when food is prepared make 

 one job of it. 



If a cake is used it may be either of all corn meal or of 

 corn meal mixed with other articles. Here are some 

 receipts that have been given for cakes : 



Add a little soda to sour milk ; stir in corn meal or corn 

 chop to make a stiff batter the stiffer the better. A few 



