CHAPTER XVII 



BUILDING THE FRAME 



IN raising chicks for the market it is absolutely 

 necessary to build the frame before putting on the 

 fat. Inexperienced poultry raisers often start their 

 chicks with too much fat forming food, containing 

 a very small percentage of ash and protein. The 

 growing chicks must have the frame, bone and muscle 

 to carry the fat, without these the result will be leg 

 weakness and other ailments, and in many cases the 

 retarding of the growth. It is only reasonable to 

 build the foundation first before going on with the 

 rest of the structure. A chick with a proper devel- 

 oped frame, well formed bones and good muscles 

 will take on fat readily when the time comes for 

 such development. 



Do not attempt to crowd matters along this line, 

 go about it systematically, build up from the bottom, 

 and put on the finishing touches when the time is at 

 hand to do so. It is possible to force a chick, but 

 that forcing must be done first on the bones and 

 muscles, and then the fat. Remember, the frame 

 must first of all have the carrying capacity, or there 

 is sure to be some kind of a breakdown. Sometimes 

 these breakdowns will not be in evidence at the be- 

 ginning, but later on they will surely crop out. 



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