374 CARE OF THE GROWING STOCK 



months old. If allowed to roost too early, crooked or twisted 

 breast-bones will be the result. The floor should be covered with 

 a good dry litter of an absorbent nature. The litter should be 

 cleaned out at least once a month, or oftener if the droppings 

 show signs of remaining moist. 



Management. — The plan should be to take the chicks directly 

 from the brooder house to their permanent developing houses. 

 Frequent changing and transferring is undesirable, as it keeps the 

 birds unsettled and they will not grow properly. In feeding 

 and caring for them disturb them as little as possible. 



As soon as sex can be distinguished readily, the time varying 

 with different breeds, the males should be separated and placed 

 on another range. If they are allowed to remain in a mixed flock, 

 neither sex will develop to the size and vigor at maturity which 

 they would attain if separated. Thereafter the management of 

 the two sexes is entirely different. The pullets should develop to 

 normal size so that they will be in good laying condition at the 

 proper time in the fall. The males should be in market condition 

 at as early an age as possible. The males to be matured as breed- 

 ers should be selected and given separate range, while those for 

 broiling or roasting should be more closely confined. 



Supply of Feed. — In feeding the growing chicks, provide 

 them with an abundance of feed of the right composition, and 

 supply this in such a way as to reduce the labor to the lowest 

 point and yet be consistent with best results. This can be done 

 by using dry-mash supplemented by cracked grains. The dry- 

 mash should be fed in large, outdoor, self-feeding hoppers, which 

 are made waterproof. It is also possible to feed a part of the 

 cracked grain in hoppers, but at least one feeding a day should be 

 made by an attendant going around from house to house and 

 scattering it. This provides a certain amount of personal atten- 

 tion which is necessary for best results. In the case of growing 

 stock this personal attention can be cut down more than in any 

 other line of the poultry work, but should never be entirely 

 eliminated. 



In handling the growing stock induce continuous growth from 

 the time the birds are put on the range until they are placed in 

 winter quarters. A check in growth, due to improper housing or 

 feeding conditions, may retard the ultimate development many 

 weeks, resulting in smaller fowls with low vitality. It is very 

 important in caring for pullets to bring them to maturity at the 



