WATER OR NO WATEK? 51 



has been said against it consisted of mere declamation against the 

 supposed "cruelty" of it. It need not be pointed out that this 

 kind of argument amounts to very little, or to nothing at all. 

 It is quite obvious, to begin with, that there can be no real 

 "cruelty" in any course of treatment which rears more 

 chickens, if the fact be so. And when appeal is made to 

 " Nature," and we begin to think about it, it would seem that 

 Nature herself is, if anything, rather on the side of the dry 

 method. The young of all small birds, at least, are reared 

 without water. The fowl itself is believed to be an Indian 

 bird of the jungles ; and in such localities it is certain that even 

 the old birds can only drink at long intervals, and that days 

 must elapse, often, before young and tender broods can thus 

 indulge. How much less can water be really required where 

 a large portion of the food itself is mixed with fluid, which is 

 the case in our artificial rearing 1 



At all events, there is a large body of evidence, 

 collected quite recently, to the effect that a large amount of 

 the diarrhoea and other bowel complaints of young chickens is 

 due to unlimited supplies of fluid in addition to soft food ; and 

 that many have left this off" with the most marked advantage. 

 Some have deprived the chickens of drink entirely for the first 

 month; others have allowed one fair drink in the morning 

 after breakfast (preventing any excess), and then taken it away, 

 giving the hen drink separately. The chickens in most seasons 

 get some drink from the dew upon the grass, and in these small 

 quantities it is probably less injurious to them. They can be 

 seen drinking in this manner ; and the fact suggests that some 

 little should depend upon the season. Where they are hatched 

 very late, and the weather is hot and dry, a rigid regimen 

 should not be insisted upon, especially if fed chiefly upon grain, 

 though even then we are convinced that " water by measure " 

 will be the best plan. But in spring, where soft food is given 

 largely, we are fully convinced that any drink in addition, 



