MAINE AGRICUI/rL'RAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 39 



FEEDING CHICKS ON TI-TE RANGE. 



By the micklle of. June the chickens that were hatched in 

 April are being fcfl on cracked corn, wheat, and the mash. At 

 about that time the portable houses containing the chickens are 

 drawn from their winter locations out to s[n open hayfiekl where 

 the crop has been harvested and the grass is short and green. 

 If not too much worn, the same field may be used a second 

 season for chickens, but this is not recommended. A new, clean 

 piece of turf land should be used each year. At least two acres 

 should be allowed for each 1000 chickens, if the land can be 

 had. It is possible, as has been demonstrated repeatedly, to 

 grow good sound vigorous stock on smaller areas. But to do 

 this is much more difficult and trying work than with larger 

 areas. 



When the chickens are moved to the range, the sexes are 

 separated. The methods of feeding the cockerels and pullets 

 differ, and there has been a gradual change in the methods of 

 feeding. Each method has given good results. The changes 

 have been introduced to save labor. After the chickens were 

 moved to the range they were fed in the morning and evening 

 with a moistened mixture of corn rtieal, middlings, and wheat 

 bran, to which one-tenth as much beef scrap was added. The 

 other two feeds were of wheat and cracked corn. 



In 1904 a change was made in the manner of feeding 1.400 

 female chickens by omitting the moist mash and keeping in 

 separate slatted troughs cracked corn, wheat, beef scrap, crack- 

 ed bone, oyster shell, and grit where they could help them- 

 selves whenever they desired to do so. Grit, bone, oyster shell, 

 and clean water were always supplied. There were no regular 

 hours for feeding, but care was taken that the troughs were 

 never empty. 



In 1905 another trough, containing a dry mash consisting of 

 I part wheat bran, 2 parts corn meal, i part middlings, and i 

 part beef scrap was used in addition to those containing the 

 grains. The results were satisfactory. The labor of feeding 

 was far less than that required by any other method tried. The 

 birds did not hang around the troughs and overeat, but helped 

 themselves, a little at a time, and ranged off, hunting or playing, 

 and coming back again to the food supply at the troughs wdien 

 so inclined. There was no rushing or crowding about the at^ 



