82 BROILERS AND ROASTERS. 



44. Drink. Water, fresh as often as is necessary to 

 have it reasonably clean, is as necessary as good food. 

 When we speak of cleanliness in matters concerning poul- 

 try we always mean relatively clean. Perfect cleanliness 

 is practically out of the question in the poultry yard. The 

 poultry keeper must learn to draw the distinction between 

 things that have some dirt on them and things that are 

 dirty. Within limits he can tolerate the former, the latter 

 he should not have about his premises. A little of the 

 dust from the floor on the water, even a little excrement in 

 it does not constitute a serious risk, but drinking vessels 

 allowed to get slimy and nasty are a common cause of 

 trouble. Clean them as often as necessary to have the 

 vessel clean, (a good rinsing once a day should be enough) 

 but don't think it necessary to empty a vessel and put in 

 fresh water if a tiny bit of the droppings falls in it. That 

 is the kind of work that takes up so much of the time of 

 some poultrymen that they do not find time to do other 

 more necessary things. 



Milk is good for chicks, whether given as a drink or 

 used to mix the mash. Slightly scalded milk is good to 

 correct a simple diarrhea. In giving it to brooder chicks 

 as a drink it is better to use a drinking fountain, even if 

 fountains are not used for water, for dabbling in milk the 

 chickens smear each other up and make a bad mess. 

 Whether milk -is given or not the chicks will want water, 

 and should have it. 



45. Grit. Growers of chicks using artificial methods 

 generally consider it of greatest importance to keep the 

 chicks constantly and liberally supplied with grit. Many 

 of them give grit before they give any food, claiming that 



