34 



steel cut oats are employed. This fine grain is scattered on short cut 

 clover or chaff and usually is given about the middle of the forenoon 

 and the last thing in the afternoon. As the proportion of the boiled 

 egg and stale bread mixture is reduced, a very slightly moistened mash 

 made of a mixture of about equal parts by bulk of corn meal and 

 good clean wheat bran takes its place. When the chicks are about 

 four weeks old, they begin to receive fine beef scraps. These are 

 fed dry and at first in very small amounts. The quantity of 

 scraps is gradually increased and when the chicks reach the age of 

 five or six weeks they may usually with advantage and perfect safety 

 be kept before the birds all the time. When the chickens are some 

 five or six weeks old, the steel cut oats may be discontinued. Sat- 

 isfactory results may be obtained if cracked corn only is used as a dry 

 grain, but whole wheat may be used occasionally or may be mixed 

 with the cracked corn in moderate proportion if preferred. The 

 chickens will need feeding five times daily for only about three or 

 four weeks. Later than that three feeds daily will suffice. It will 

 be a great advantage if the fowls can be allowed a range' in yards 

 furnishing fine sweet grass in abundance. 



The Maine Experiment Station describes a 



Maine Experiment number of methods with which good results 



Station Methods, have been obtained. In all of the rnethods 



which are described* the mixture of hard fine 

 broken grains referred to is made up of equal parts of cracked corn, 

 cracked wheat, millet seed and pin head oats. This mixture is al- 

 ways fed in the litter, care being taken to limit the quantity so that 

 they shall be hungry at the next meal. 



The following descriptions of three different methods are quoted 

 from the bulletin just referred to : 



" Early in the morning the chicks are given the 



Maine Method hard food on the floor litter. * * * * ^t 



No. 2. 9 o'clock they are fed a mixture consisting of 2 



parts rolled oats, 2 parts wheat bran, 2 parts corn 

 meal, i part sifted beef scrap and one-half part linseed meal. This 

 is given in the plates or troughs and the dishes are removed after 

 10 minutes use. 



At 12.30 the hard grains are fed again and at 4.30 or 5 the dry 

 meal mixture is given to them for half an hour or left until their bed 



* Bulletin 144. 



