63 



tion between the feeder and the fed is one that the latter 

 do not recognize. A poultry keeper has to keep close 

 watch over all his stock to KNOW whether things are 

 going right or not, and that being the case", it is no hard- 

 ship, and is in various ways an advantage, to supplement 

 the hopper feeding with some light regular feeds, and also 

 with occasional special feeds as conditions may make 

 that advisable. The two points in feeding that call for 

 special attention in summer are assurance of supplies of 

 green feed and animal feed, and special feeding to main- 

 tain growth as well as possible in extreme hot weather. 



Whatever the object in growing chickens, the best 

 results are secured only when they grow steadily from 

 start to finish. In the cool weather of winter and spring 

 we have to keep young chickens warm that their vital 

 processes may proceed legularly and as economically of 

 feed as possible. In the warm weather of spring, and the 

 moderate weather of summer, the temperature conditions 

 ^re most favorable to rapid and continuous growth. With 

 an average atmospheiic temperature of sixty to seventy, 

 -and the heat-producing elements in the feed called upon 

 to keep the body temperature of the bird about thirty-five 

 to forty-five degrees higher, and the same elements also 

 providing the energy for an active life, the bird can utilize 

 a lot of carbonaceous material. But when the atmospheric 

 temperature goes to ninety, or a hundred or more, and re- 

 mains there for days at a time, the carbonaceous material 

 in the ordinary daily ration is far in excess of the needs of 

 the system, and if the bird eats the usual amount it over- 

 heats the body. 



'If growing chickens are left to themselves to eat 

 what they choose of the grain and mash before them, and 

 to supplement this with such green feed as their range 

 affords, they usually unless the range affords an extra- 

 ordinary amount of highly palatable green feed either 

 injure themselves by overeating of the heavy grain ration, 

 or by declining to eat much of it, consume so little feed 

 that they may stop growing, and even lose weight. Hearty 

 chickens are apt to overeat until the excess of heating 

 feed makes them uncomfortable and they lose appetite, 

 and perhaps develop mild symptoms of digestive trouble. 

 Chicks that are daintier feeders are more likely to cut 



)N A GRASSY RANGE 



their ration to what green feed and insects and worms 

 they can get without much effort in the coolest parts of 

 the day, with an occasional nibble at the grain and mash 

 accessible as they forage. 



It is at such times that the value of milk and the ad- 

 vantage of liberal supplies of succulent green feed that the 

 chicks will eat freely are most fully demonstrated. In 

 continued extreme hot spells we cannot by any system of 

 feeding keep up the growth that is obtained under nor- 



ceptible check of growth, and for longer periods we can 

 by the same methods keep up a constant growth at less 

 than the normal rate, and at the same time keep the birds 

 in such good appetite and physical condition, that as soon 

 as relief from the extreme temperature comes they eat 

 full rations not requiring several days, or a week or 

 more to recover from the effects of the hot weather. 



Where chicks on range are fed in hoppers, they 

 should get out with the beginning of daylight, even 

 though it may have been customary for the attendant 

 for his own convenience and their safety to keep them 

 shut in the coop until a later hour. That is not really 

 good poultry practice at any time, though in normal 

 weather when the chicks are eating heartily it may not 

 make such a great deal of difference if they don't get out 

 as early as they would like to in the morning. But in 

 extreme hot weather they should be out at daylight, and 

 if the danger from their enemies that prowl at that time 

 is such that they should be watched, someone should 

 watch them as long as necessary. 



If the range is good, the chicks released in the earliest 

 morning probably will pay little attention to the feed in 

 the hoppers, but will begin at once to forage for the 

 worms which are likely to be at the surface of the ground, 

 and for whatever green feed takes their fancy. They will 

 keep busy in this way until the sun becomes uncomfort- 

 ably warm, or until with crops fairly well filled with light 

 feed they feel like filling up with grain. If the grain is 

 usually fed by hand it is a good plan, when the chicks are 

 let out, to scatter a feed of it about a lighter feed than 

 usual. The amount they will eat before and after foraging 

 will depend on circumstances. An expert feeder can tell 

 by the way they go at it about how much to throw out 

 and have it eaten quite early in the morning. It is a good 

 plan to broadcast this feed over the range; then the 

 chickens eat a little grain with the other things as they go. 

 About nine o'clock give the chickens all they will eat 

 up clean of a light mash, that is a mash containing little 

 corn meal or concentrated feed. After eating this they 

 will usually prefer to keep quiet in the shade until the 

 heat of the day has passed. About noon they will relish 

 something quite light and cooling, as clabber milk, lettuce, 

 rape, or cabbage, and in the latter 

 part of the season waste tomatoes, 

 cucumbers, fruit and melons of all 

 kinds. If it is desired, the sour milk 

 may be thickened with bran and mid- 

 lings, or soft fruits and vegetables 

 may be used the same way. When 

 fresh lettuce or rape is given rare 

 should be taken to put it in the shade, 

 not only because the chickens are 

 reluctant to go into the hot sun, but 

 because if these things are not eaten 

 up at once they will wilt badly in the 

 heat and then the chickens will not 

 eat them at all, and they are wasted. 



If the chickens are indifferent to green feed offered them 

 at noon it is as well to feed it early in the morning or 

 later in the evening. Often they will eat it greedily when 

 the heat of the day has passed and they begin to feel 

 hungry and like moving about. 



As the sun declines and the heat is less intense, the 

 chickens will begin to feed and forage, and are likely to 

 stay out much longer than when they feed freely at all 

 hours of the day. They should be allowed to stay out as 



mal temperate weather conditions on a normal consump- late as they like, and if they do not seem to care for their 

 tion of ordinary concentrated rations. But for short peri- ordinary rations, light mashes should be offered them, 

 ods of extreme heat we can feed so that there is no per- and they should have all the milk, either separate or 



