CHICKENS 231 



10 i)omids during May and June. 

 8 pounds during July. 

 6 pounds during August. 

 5 pounds during September and October. 

 This manner of feeding Avill cause the hens to eat much more 

 mash during the sununer and fall when they need it most. 



The successful feeding of the chick is one of the most impor- 

 tant phases in prorital)le poultry keeping. Probably there have 

 been more failures in the business through inability to reproduce 

 the flock than from any other cause. For the first forty-eight 

 hours after hatching the chick should have no feed. Then only 

 absolutely clean, sweet feed should be given. 



The first day, when the chicks are brought to the hover in the 

 late afternoon, each chick is given a drink of water and, if pos- 

 sible, of sour milk. They are then placed under the hover. Do 

 not chill the chicks. The following mixture, by weight, is next 

 scattered on a clean newspaper: 



10 commercial chick grain 1 chick charcoal 

 5 wheat bran 5 chick grit 



5 rolled oats 1 chick bone 



Scatter some shredded, tender green food over this. Until it 

 becomes dark do not leave the chicks long to themselves. Con- 

 tinue teaching the chicks to eat and drink, and place the chicks 

 under the hover frequently until they learn to know it as their 

 foster mother. Too much care cannot be taken this first 

 afternoon. 



The second day the same mixture may be kept before them on 

 clean newspapers or in small V-shaped troughs. In the middle 

 of the forenoon and afternoon bread or johnny cake, moistened 

 in milk, should be fed; or a mixture in the proportions of a 

 quart of bran and rolled oats, equal parts, with three boiled first- 

 test infertile incubator eggs, including tlie shell, may be ground 

 together and fed. All moist mixtures should be cleaned up in 

 a few minutes and should be mixed daily. Do not overfeed. 

 From the second day on, there should be no chick grain or moist 

 feed in sight except at feeding time. 



From the third day on the small chick grains should be fed 

 alone and scattered or buried in the litter, morning, noon and 

 night. Feed only what they will clean up in an hour or two. 

 Continue feeding the grain this way until the chicks are hopper 

 fed. Grit should be accessible. The following dry mash, by 

 weight, should be kept before them in shallow boxes with a one- 



