FOOD FOR CHICKENS. 49 



desired to keep small ; but boiled rather dry, a little dripping 

 or suet stirred in, and the greasy pellets rolled in " sharps," 

 makes an occasional change which is greedily relished. Boiled 

 rice is also good, as used by the French, for fattening birds for 

 the market, as it tends to white flesh. 



The above will form the staple food, but after a day or two 

 some grain should be. given in addition. Groats chopped up 

 with a knife are excellent ; so is crushed wheat or bruised oats 

 or dari. Chickens seem to prefer grits to anything, but it is 

 not equal to meal as a permanent diet. A little of either one 

 or the other should, however, be given once or twice a day, 

 and in particular should form the last meal at night, for the 

 reasons given on page 21. 



Bread sopped in water is the worst possible food for 

 chickens, causing weakness and general diarrhoea. With milk 

 it is better, but not equal to meal. 



Green food is even more necessary to chickens than to 

 adult fowls. Whilst very young it is best to cut grass into 

 very small morsels for them with a pair of scissors, and mix 

 liberally in the food ; afterwards they will crop it for them- 

 selves if allowed. Should there be no grass plot available, 

 cabbage or lettuce-leaves must be regularly given minced 

 small at first, but thrown down whole as soon as the beaks of 

 the chickens are strong enough to enable them to help them- 

 selves. 



In winter or very early spring the chickens must, in 

 addition to the above feeding, have more stimulating diet. 

 Some under-done meat should be continued regularly, and it is 

 often advisable to give also, once a day at least, some stale 

 bread soaked in ale. They should also be fed about eight or 

 nine o'clock, by candle-light, and early in the morning. In 

 no other way can Dorkings or Spanish be successfully reared 

 at this inclement season, though the hardier breeds will often 

 get along very well with the ordinary feeding. Ale and meat, 



