METHODS OF FEEDING 269 



The food requirement varies, therefore, as the stage of 

 maturity varies. The young growing fowl requires more 

 ash or mineral matter than the mature fowl that is not lay- 

 ing. The importance of this fact is brought home to the 

 poultryman who keeps his fowls in enclosures where all 

 their requirements must be met from the supplied food. 



After the chicks have passed the brooding stage, which 

 is usually at the age of six weeks to two months, depending 

 upon weather conditions, they are past the critical period 

 of their growth. If they reach this stage in good health 

 and vigor, only mistaken feeding and management will 

 result in stunted growth. 



Management of Growing Stock. While chicks may be 

 successfully grown under more or less restricted conditions, 

 the best practice is to give them free range. There are two 

 reasons for this. First, the chickens are able to find feed 

 that is often lacking in the ration when kept in confinement ; 

 and second, in hunting for feed they get exercise that they 

 often do not get for lack of incentive when kept in yards. 

 The importance of exercise for the growing stock cannot 

 be over estimated. 



Clean Range. The range should be clean. It should 

 not be overstocked with chickens. "Where large numbers 

 are kept the best conditions are obtained where fowls are 

 kept in limited numbers in colony houses, separated widely 

 so that they have plenty of clean ground to range over. 

 There are many advantages of free range for growing 

 chickens, among which may be mentioned: Less danger 

 from contagious diseases ; greater vigor due to greater ex- 

 ercise; greater profit because much feed otherwise wasted 

 is found in the field; and the destruction of insects, such 

 as grasshoppers, which may be an important item in cer- 

 tain localities. The chickens may run in the orchard, in 

 the pasture fields with the cows and in the stubble fields 



