304 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



Care and Feeding of Chicks. 



Care. If an early maturity is to be obtained with chicks, it is necessary 

 to give them a good start. They should be given outdoor runs on dry ground 

 and grass as soon as the weather is pleasant. They should be kept moving 

 and not penned up in a small space where exercise is impossible. 



Ground. Exercise is necessary. They can and should be made to exer- 

 cise by putting rolled oats in fine litter. Chicks should be kept inside on rainy 

 or damp days or when the dew is heavy on the grass. Dampness often causes 

 leg weakness and bowel trouble. They should be kept free from lice. 



Feeding. Feeding is an important factor in the successful raising of 

 chicks. For the first thirty-six hours no feed should be given at all as the yolk 

 of the egg is absorbed, furnishing sufficient nourishment. The two systems in 

 vogue for feeding chicks, as well as older fowls, are dry and wet feeding. The 

 first is simpler and easier and beginners are usually more successful with this 

 one. More care should be given in feeding chicks than in feeding older fowls 

 because the chicks know less about what is good for them and they are liable 

 to overeat. 



Feeds. 



1. Egg and Bread Crumbs. A good feed for the first meal is hard-boiled 

 egg the infertile eggs from the incubator may be used for this chopped fine, 

 shell and all, mixed with three times its amount of stale bread crumbs or bread 

 and milk. 



2. Bread and Milk. Another good feed for chicks is stale bread soaked 

 in whole or skim milk. The milk should be squeezed out until the mass crumbles 

 easily. This is excellent for the first week or so. 



3. Oatmeal and Bran. Oatmeal and dry bran where they pick it is good. 



4. Green Feed. Green feed must be given. If the chicks can get grass 

 they will supply themselves but if not they must be given some that can be easily 

 assimilated. Finely cut grass, onion tops chopped fine, sprouted oats, lettuce 

 leaves or boiled vegetables are all good. 



5. Grain Feed. It is well to begin grain feed when the chicks are a few 

 days old. Feed it in hoppers. Never feed any wet, sloppy feeds as it causes 

 bowel trouble. Several good cracked grain feeds are given. Two parts "pin- 

 head" oatmeal, two parts wheat, one part corn, one part millet seed and one part 

 rice. 



6. Egg and Rolled Oats. A good feed for the first two or three days is 

 made by boiling the infertile eggs for about one-half hour and mixing these 

 together with about six times their bulk of rolled oats. The eggs are put through 

 a meat chopper. 



7. Egg and Corn Bread. A good feed for newly hatched chickens is 

 corn bread with egg in it. Until they are a month old, everything fed to them 

 should be cooked. 



8. Cracked Corn, Millet Seed, Cracked Wheat, Oatmeal and Beef Scrap. 

 Another mixture is: 4 pounds cracked corn, 2 pounds millet seed, 10 pounds 



