30 Aviary Pheasants. 



distances, but they must not be allowed to go far 

 till they know the hen's call, or they will be lost. 

 As they get older, diminish the custard, and use 

 Chamberlin's Food, with Spratts Crissel added. The 

 following is what I rear chicks on : Rice well boiled 

 (not sticky), chopped onions and their tops, crushed 

 hemp, a little pepper, and instead of Chamberlin's 

 Food, baked breadcrumbs, well ground. Sprinkle the 

 food with a little iron tonic, and let the whole be 

 mixed till quite dry. Never let it get sour, or be 

 left from day to day : only put enough the last 

 thing at night for the early breakfast. Do not 

 forget, the younger the birds, the more custard. They 

 will soon learn to eat grits and unboiled rice ; they 

 are very fond of ants' eggs, but, unless the supply 

 can be kept up, it should not be begun. Let them 

 have plenty of fresh lettuce ; tear the leaves into 

 pieces. For the hen, put her food in one corner of 

 the coop, or she will eat all theirs if she can get at it. 

 Feed little and often, and very early. Of course, 

 as the young ones get older they will not require 

 stones in the water. To confine them to their coop 

 during, say, the first twenty-four hours, you may 

 either use one of the bottom boards (only that makes 

 it dark inside) or an nin. board; the run will keep 

 it in position. The chicks are apt to stray into the 

 run in the early morning, and get cramp, if not shut 

 in at night till nearly a week old. You may use a 

 miniature cucumber frame, the size of the run, and 

 made like it, except the glass slopes. Being on 



