66 FEEDING OF FOWLS 



FEEDING OF YOUNG CHICKS 



Xo food is given to young chicks for the first 48 hr., 

 but grit of some kind is supplied to clean out their 

 digestive organs. Beginning with the third day, they 

 may have stale bread moistened with sweet milk and 

 pressed until nearly dry. For the next 2 or 3 da. a mix- 

 ture of stale bread crumbs and fine oatmeal makes a 

 good ration, and is better fed in small quantities at 

 frequent intervals. 



For chicks that are a week or more old, a simple 

 ration can be made of 4 parts, by weight, of cracked 

 corn, 2 parts of broken wheat, 2 parts of oatmeal, and 

 2 parts of granulated meat scrap. The corn should be 

 broken into small pieces and the meat scrap must be 

 of good quality, rich in protein, and of small size; meat 

 s:rap that contains fat is not fit to use in this ration. 

 After the chicks are 6 wk. old, a ration made of cracked 

 corn, whole wheat, hulled oats, and meat scrap can be 

 used. In addition to the grain and meat ration, grit, 

 green food, broken sea shells, or bone meal are neces- 

 sary for young chicks. All food fed to chicks should 

 l)e in small particles to avoid disorders in the crop and 

 digestive organs. 



Green stuff of some kind should be fed continually 

 after the chicks are 3 or 4 da. old. Sprouted oats, lawn 

 clippings, vegetable tops of any kind, and lettuce may 

 all be fed. It is best to cut them into very small pieces 

 before feeding. There is no danger of poultry of any 

 age having too much green feed. Partly-grown chicks 

 and older fowls will get a plentiful supply of this if 

 given free range where it is abundant. When kept in 

 confinement, they should have a plentiful supply of 

 green stuff fresh every day. 



One of the most successful poultry growers and exhibi- 

 tors of New England feeds his little chicks for the first 

 day or two on a baked cake made of 2 parts of bran, 

 2 parts of corn meal, and 1 part of wheat middlings, with 

 just enough sweet milk or water to make a dry, crumbly 



