PO UL TR r~ CRAFT. \ 83 



chicks should be given range while growing. The bald fact that chicks are 

 confined, or not confined, counts for nothing either way. Unquestionably the 

 most favorable condition for obtaining the best development at least expense, 

 is found where the chicks have a range which furnishes them a considerable 

 part of their food all green food and insect food, and seeds in variety with- 

 out their foraging so far that too much of what is eaten is expended in muscular 

 energy. This condition depends on quite small flocks being widely separated, 

 and is found much less often than is generally supposed ; for most people who 

 give their chicks range expect them to forage over a considerable area, and. 

 indeed, compel them to do so ; sometimes intentionally by withholding food , 

 sometimes unintentionally by neglecting to give a variety of food. The 

 method of colonizing the growing stock generally gives range only in name, 

 for there are so many placed on so small an area (and often so little forage on 

 the ground) that the amount of food each chick gets by foraging is insignifi- 

 cant. It is, therefore, necessary to feed quite as much and as often as if they 

 were confined in bare yards. The real advantage of the method is its cheap- 

 ness and convenience, not the superiority of the stock produced by it. The 

 coops cost little. No fences are used. The chicks are reared outside of the 

 winter quarters (occupied by adult stock the year round) and thus the old stock 

 is not crowded out at sacrifice prices to make room for the young ones and 

 can be worked off seasonably, gradually, and profitably. 



Not all poultry keepers are so situated that they can give their young stock 

 range even by colonizing. This need not deter them from rearing chicks, nor 

 need they think it impossible to rear as good chicks as those who give the 

 youngsters range. Just as good chicks can be reared in confinement (rather 

 close confinement, at that) as on the best range ; if the keeper will avoid 

 crowding, keep them free from lice, keep their quarters clean, feed a liberal 

 well balanced ration judiciously, and give opportunity for such exercise as is 

 given laying hens and breeding stock in confinement but less of it compul- 

 sory. Indeed, when the stock runs well up in the hundreds, confinement is a 

 much better plan than colonizing with the flocks so near together that they 

 can and consequently do feed as one flock; for in large flocks the chicks 

 are crowded, (crowd each other), no matter how much room they have. The 

 question of giving the growing stock range is just a question of opportunity 

 and convenience. If one can give them the right kind of range, that is a very 

 great advantage to him. If one must keep them confined, he is handicapped 

 to some extent, but not so badly that he cannot get results as good as the best, 

 only he must work harder for it. 



267. Culling the Growing Stock. In breeding poultry for market 

 exclusively, culling proper is not practiced. The chicks are merely sorted, 

 the marketable ones taken as needed the others left until better grown. In 

 breeding laying stock, a very few of the choicest cockerels may be reserved 

 for breeding purposes ; the rest should be marketed at the age when they will 

 bring most profit. The culling of the pullets extends only to marketing poorly 



