60 THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



And when appeal is made to " Nature," and we begin to 

 think about it, 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, as in our artificial rearing ! 



At all events, there is a considerable body of evidence 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 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 (pre- 

 venting 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, such 

 a 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 disposed to think 

 that no water in addition, beyond one drink after breakfast, 

 and possibly a few sips, and no more, at night, will be found 

 the best regimen. 



The only actual evidence we have seen of any evil from 

 this course, has been when the writers have adopted it with 

 chickens a few days or more old. This is natural : such 



