FEEDING CHICKS FROM WEANING TO MATURITY 



61 



well as it could possibly be grown under certain condi- 

 tions one year is positive proof that the conditions are in 

 no way unfavorable, and believing that the conditions are 

 all right, and that the stock as shown by its develop- 

 ment in the first season is all right, they take it for 

 granted that if the chickens do not thrive, and fall far 

 short of the expected development, the trouble must be 

 with the feed. If they have been mixing the feeds them- 

 selves they suppose that one or more ingredients are of 

 inferior quality, and perhaps detrimental. Usually they 

 blame the meat scrap. If they have been buying a pre- 

 pared feed they become positive that the manufacturer is 

 putting out an inferior article. They begin to try other 

 feeds in a search for one that will do the impossible. Na- 

 turally they do not find one. 



Thousands of poultry keepers are never able to 

 establish a satisfactory stock because they do not take 

 the trouble to pick out the best of their chicks at wean- 

 ing age and either give them conditions under which they 

 will make their best possible development on the same 

 ration that the rest of the chicks get, or give them the 

 special care and feeding that will give the best develop- 

 ment under the conditions under which all chicks are kept. 

 It cannot be expected that the stock birds, as they are 

 grown on plants which have to grow them under some- 

 what intensive conditions, can be kept to a development 

 and vitality that is so good that there is no occasion for 

 frequent introductions of stock grown under more favor- 

 able conditions; but, by growing as many birds as he 

 needs for breeding purposes under the best conditions 

 he can give them, a poultry keeper who is limited for 

 room keeps his breeding stock where a little new blood 

 occasionally will prevent any marked deterioration. 



We have then to consider the following classifications 

 of chickens at weaning time in their relation to subse- 

 quent feeding practice: 



A Chickens that are to be used for exhibition or 

 for sale in exhibition quality, and which must be as free 

 from every fault, and as superior in every quality as 

 it is possible to make them. 



B Chickens that are to be used for minor exhibi- 

 tions or breeding ordinary standard specimens, and 

 which must be well developed and vigorous, but not 

 necessarily free from the superficial faults which may re- 

 sult from failure to apply the highest skill in feeding or 

 to supply the environment most favorable to development. 



C Chickens that are to be grown for layers, and 

 which may without prejudice to their value for that pur- 

 pose be somewhat below the standard size and weight 

 for their breed. 



D Chickens that are to be used for the table, either 

 as broilers, fryers, or roasters, and in the growing of 

 which the development of constitution and stamina need 

 not be considered at all, farther than that they must have 

 constitution and digestive power enough to keep them 

 growing well with heavy feeding for the period required 

 in any particular case. 



E Chickens that at weaning age are plainly not 

 profitable feeders for any of the above purposes. 



It is not necessary in practice to make all these divi- 

 sions at this stage. Class A may be considered as a 

 special class which ordinarily would not be divided ex- 

 cept perhaps by sex, for being from stock carefully select- 

 ed for quality for many generations only a small per- 



centage the marked culls will be birds that ought not 

 to have the best possible conditions of growth. These 

 the wise breeder simply shuts in a small pen and kills 

 for the table at squab broiler size. 



In the ordinary conditions where upwards of a few 

 hundred chicks are grown, chickens as classified above in 

 B and C, and also those as of Class D which are intended 

 for large roasters may be carried along together for a 

 while if it is more convenient. This may be the case 

 where chickens are to range on grass land after a first 

 crop of hay is cut, or in corn after it is well started, or 

 on any piece of land not available for them at the time 

 they are weaned. The capacity of any house or coop for 

 them at this age is of course much greater than when they 

 are a month to six weeks older to say nothing of when 

 they approach maturity. Hence, if provision is made for 

 the removal of a part of the stock to other quarters be- 

 fore the coops become overcrowded, there is no objec- 

 tion to carrying chicks for stock birds, for layers, and for 

 roasters all together as long as is convenient. 



The feeding can be the same for all. The risk in it is 

 that if hot weather comes sooner than expected, or if 

 anything delays the division of the flock before it begins 

 actually to crowd the capacity of the coop, overheating 

 and crowding for even a single night may make quite a . 

 severe check on the growth of the entire number. It is 

 always best, when it can be done, to put chicks at wean- 

 ing age into colony coops in the numbers that the coops 

 will accommodate until full grown. Then if the coops 

 are of suitable construction and properly ventilated, there 

 is no occasion to worry about possible overcrowding. At 

 the same time, with due care to provide for such emerg- 

 encies if they arise, and to make the division anyway 

 comparatively early in this period, a poultry keeper can 

 often save a good deal of work with his chicks and han- 

 dle some other work on his plant to better advantage, by 

 using the full capacity of his most convenient coops and 

 range for chicks for a month or more after they go into 

 the colony roosting coops. 



Chickens that are to be used for broilers or fryers 

 can be kept in coops with small yards or in open sheds. 

 Some may be ready for small broilers, and any should be 

 able to make broiler weights with heavy feeding before it 

 affects their digestive organs. They need no more exer- 

 c'se than a little scratching for grain in litter to keep 

 them contented. Those that are to be kept longest, as 

 for fryers, can either be given a little more room and 

 range, or fed more liberally with green feed until the 

 time comes to finish them off. 



Rations For Chickens From Weaning to Maturity 



The following rations are principally rations corres- 

 ponding to and following those given for younger chick- 

 ens in the preceding chapter. Fully to identify each it is 

 not only given the same title, but the same number with 

 the addition of the letter A. 



Ration No. la Model Variety Ration Recommended By the 

 United States Department of Agriculture 



SCRATCH MIXTURE 



Two parts, by weight, of cracked corn and one of wheat; 

 or, equal parts cracked com, wheat, and oats. This may be 

 fed at intervals by hand, or if the chicks have good range 

 it may be kept before them in a hopper. 



DRY MASH 



Bran 2 pounds 



Middlings 2 pounds 



Corn meal 1 pound 



Red dog, or low grade flour 1 pound 



Meat scrap % pound 



This should be kept before the chicks in hoppers. If 

 preferred the meat scrap may be left out of the mash and 



