[ 6oo ] 



best to let the mother come out with all her chicks before any 

 attempt is made to feed them. 



(20) The best food for newly hatched chickens is hard- 

 boiled yolk of eggs mixed up with stale bread moistened with 

 milk. This may be given with some barley and water for 

 the hen, that the hen and the chickens may eat together. The 

 hen with the newly hatched chickens should be kept in a 

 separate coop. A big basket with open lattice work which 

 is ordinarily used in this country answers very well, as it can 

 be placed on grass and moved about from time to time. After 

 the first day or two, ground oats or buck-wheat, also some 

 finely minced meat, should be given to the chickens, while 

 the hen may be given the same food in a coarser state. 

 Hourly feeding ot chickens is necessary for one week, after 

 which the feeding should be done less often ; but the secret 

 of success in poultry-keeping consists in feeding the chickens 

 often and with freshlfood. Potatoes mashed with bran and 

 finely chopped up green grass, is a very good food for chickens 

 after the first week. They must have a supply of good water 

 also. After four months, the best birds being reserved for 

 breeding, the rest should be sold or converted for table use. 

 More substantial pens or coops should be provided for 

 chickens when they are a month old. 



(21) Preserving eggs. Eggs can be preserved in afresh 

 state for eating, in a solution of Silicate of soda ( called 

 also water-glass ). One volume of the semi-fluid silicate 

 should be mixed up with 20 volumes of water and the 

 fresh eggs pickled in this solution will last several months. 

 Before cooking a puncture is to be made in each egg to 

 avoid spurting and bursting. To preserve 600 eggs, 6 Ibs. 

 of water-glass dissolved in 8 gallons of water are sufficient. 

 The exact procedure to be followed is this : Each time 

 25 to 30 fresh and uncricked eggs are taken, placed 

 in a sieve, and dripped with warm melted lard. The 

 eggs are then removed from the sieve and when the 



