MAINE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. II 



When the corn can no longer be used cabbage is fed. The 

 supply of this usually lasts through December. In the event 

 of the supply of cabbage failing before it is desirable to start 

 the oat sprouter (see p. 59) the interval is filled out by the 

 use of mangolds. From about January 15 to May 15 green 

 sprouted oats grown as described below (pp. 59-64) form the 

 source of green food. From about May 15 until the corn has 

 grown enough to cut, fresh clover from the range is used. Dur- 

 ing the summer the growing chicks on the range are given rape 

 (Dwarf Essex) and green corn fodder cut, as described above 

 to supplement the grass of the range, which rather rapidly dries 

 out and becomes worthless as a source of green food under our 

 conditions. The very young chicks in the brooders are given the 

 tops only of green sprouted oats chopped up fine. 



D. Provide Fresh and Clean Drinking Water. The most 

 sure and rapid method by which infectious diseases of all kinds 

 are transmitted through a flock of birds is by means of the 

 water pail from which they all drink in common. Furthermore 

 the water itself may come from a contaminated source and be 

 the origin of infection to the flock. Finally it is difficult to de- 

 vise any satisfactory drinking fountain in which the water is 

 not liable to contamination from litter, manure, etc. All these 

 considerations indicate the advisability of adding to all drinking 

 water which is given to poultry some substance which shall act 

 as a harmless antiseptic. The best of all such substances yet 

 discovered for use with poultry is potassium permanganate. 

 This is a dark reddish-purple crystalline substance which can 

 be bought of any druggist. It ought never to cost more than 

 2OC-3OC per pound and a pound will last for a long time. It 

 should be used in the following way : In the bottom of a large 

 mouthed jar, bottle or can, put a layer of potassium permanga- 

 nate crystals an inch thick. Fill up the receptacle with water. 

 This water will dissolve all of the crystals that it is able to. 

 This will make a stock saturated solution. As this solution is 

 used add more water and more crystals as needed, always aim- 

 ing to keep a layer of undissolved crystals at the bottom. Keep 

 a dish of stock solution like this alongside the faucet or pump 

 where the water is drawn for the poultry. Whenever any ivater 

 is drawn for either chicks or adult fowls at the Maine Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station enough of the stock solution is 



