DOUGLAS ON REARING PHEASANTS. 125 



necessary on the first shift from the nest. If your turf is not 

 of a sandy nature, sprinkle a handful of sand where you 

 intend to shift your coops. The coops being shifted daily is 

 very beneficial to the chicks. Take care they are not let out 

 in the morning until such time as the sun is well up, if there 

 is a heavy dew on the grass, and the grass has got a little dry. 

 I have no doubt but the continual letting out on wet grass, 

 previous to the sun having power to counteract the bad effects 

 of the cold wet dew, is the cause of many of the ills they are 

 subject to. Feed twice or thrice, if necessary, previous to 

 letting out. The principal food I give for the first fortnight 

 is composed of eggs and new milk, made as follows : In 

 proportion, one dozen of eggs, beaten up in a basin, added 

 to half a pint of new milk ; when the milk boils add the 

 eggs, stirring over a slow fire for a short period to thicken, 

 when it will form a nice thick custard. This I give for the 

 first three days; then I commence to add a little of the 

 best oatmeal, and any greens the garden can produce, 

 finely chopped, for the next three or four days ; after seven 

 days I add to their diet a little kibbled wheat being kiln- 

 dried previous to kibbling also split groats and bruised 

 hempseed, occasionally a handful of millet seed; taking care 

 all their food is of the very best, and that the feeding dishes 

 are scalded in boiling water daily. This food I use until 

 they are about three weeks old, when I add minced meat mixed 

 with oat or barley meal, with the broth from the meat, the 

 meat being composed of sheep's heads and plucks, taken from 

 the bone and finely minced, and just sufficient of the broth to 

 form a dry crumbly paste. At five weeks old I consider a feed 

 of good wheat and barley alternately, the last thing at night, 

 quite necessary, not forgetting, at this age, to add a little tonic 

 solution of sulphate of iron to their water daily. At this time 

 the growth of their feathers requires a great deal of support, 

 and if the bodily strength is not supported by a strengthening 

 diet, they must give way. Continue the custard up to eight 

 weeks old, but adding more meal to it, with the green food. 



