106 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



poultry comes from overfeeding and lack of exercise and 

 lack of sanitary precautions. 



Mr. Stetson. I raise Plymouth Rocks, and occasionally 

 find one dead. 



Mr. CusHMAN. How do you feed them ? 



Mr. Stetson. On wheat and a mixture of shorts and 

 other grains and a very little corn. 



Mr. CusHMAN. Three times a day? 



Mr. Stetson. Twice a day, morning and night. They 

 are confined somewhat, although they have quite an ex- 

 tensive range in a yard. They are in an orchard sheltered 

 by trees. 



Mr. CusHMAN. In my opinion, these troubles come 

 about from overfeeding more than from anything else. 

 They get too fat and too sluggish, and like a person, have 

 this trouble. Plenty of green food will prevent that condi- 

 tion as well as anything. Some breeds are more troubled 

 by it than others. 



Mr. F. W. Sargent (of Amesbury). I would like to 

 ask a question in regard to the Hamburg breed. I have 

 had some trouble with the chicks this year. I saw a very 

 pretty flock in my travels last spring, and, thinking they 

 would please my boy, I bought a setting of eggs, and after 

 carrying them a week in my travelling bag arrived home 

 with them. He set them, and, very much to my surprise, 

 they all hatched but one, but they did not seem to enjoy 

 life. They started off well, but the wings got very much 

 out of proportion. They grew faster than the body, and 

 the chicks began to die, and we saved only three out of the 

 lot. I know that breed quite often does that way. I would 

 like to know if there is any way to prevent it. I would 

 like to raise it, if I can. 



Mr. CusHMAN. Overfeeding will cause it. Feeding too 

 much nitrogenous food will cause it. In incubator chickens, 

 having the wings grow too long is one of the greatest 

 troubles. The food that was given in this case would have 

 to be considered, whether they had free range on grass or 

 not. Sometimes getting wet in the morning will upset them 

 and put them out of condition. Hamburgs are more tender 

 than many other breeds. 



