228 How THE FARM PAYS. 



and never given in excess. Over feeding surely produces disease. 

 Fowls should never be given all they will eat. An average of one 

 bushel of grain is sufficient for one fowl for a year, in addition to 

 what green food is supplied in the way above mentioned, or that can 

 be picked up in a moderate range. This is equal to about two and 

 one-half ounces a day. A variety of grain is advisable. Wheat, 

 barley, buckwheat, corn, and mixed meal and bran, with some boiled 

 potatoes or milk or buttermilk, and some flesh meat occasionally, will 

 be necessary. With such feeding, and plenty of clean fresh water 

 twice a day, there will be no trouble from sickness, and of course 

 sickness among the fowls will destroy all the profit. 



It is a great help to have the fowls docile and easily handled. This 

 is secured by a simple method of managing, which is as follows. And 

 this method also has other advantage as will be seen. The hens 

 being set in their separate apartment are fed and watered daily, and 

 soon become used to this attendance. When the chicks begin to 

 appear they are taken, as they come out of the shell, or with the 

 broken shell, if necessary, from under the hen, and put in a nursing 

 mother made as follows: A box made with double sides, filled with 

 wool waste or cotton batting, about sixteen inches square every way 

 inside and standing on end, has a shelf fitted in the middle. Under 

 this shelf a tin box filled with hot water is placed to warm up the box 

 to ninety-five degrees. The young chick is put on this shelf in a. 

 nest of sawdust, where it is kept warm and rests comfortably while 

 the others are coming out. Ife is always well to set two hens on the 

 same day, so that two broods come out at the same time. With 

 average success from eight to ten chicks will come from each brood, 

 and all are put into the nursing mother until the two broods are all 

 hatched. The last two or three may be left under the hen. 



The coop, which should be roomy, is prepared, and if the weather 

 is yet cold, should be put in a glass house, or have a glass covering, 

 and be put in a sunny, sheltered corner. At night the hen with the 

 chicks are removed to the coop, and left in a dry, comfortable nest, 

 made of chaff, in a corner of the coop, or upon a piece of dry 

 bagging. The hen thus adopts all the chicks, and in the morning 

 will be found caring for them. The hen and chicks are fed with 

 some soaked bread or cracked wheat or coarse oatmeal for two or 

 three days, and after that with coarse corn meal and other food. They 

 soon become tame, and will feed out of the hand, and this tameness 

 is encouraged afterwards, so that the fowls can be handled, and will 

 feed out of the hand at any time. This very much eases the work, 

 and makes it successful and profitable. The chicks should have a run 

 out on grass or in a garden, where they will pick up myriads of 



