MANY METHODS OF FEEDING 361 
12. Succulent material is just as essential in the baby-chick 
ration as it is in that of the laying hen. It can best be supplied 
in the form of sprouted oats, lettuce, or ground vegetables, such 
as mangels, beets, and turnips. 
13. Feed Early and Late—It is just as necessary to ‘eed 
extremely early and rather late as it is to feed little and orten. 
The time between the feeding at night and the first feeding in 
the morning is at best rather long, and it can be materially short- 
ened by feeding early and late. 
14. Induce Exercise—In order to keep the chicks in good 
physical condition and growing, give them plenty of exercise. 
This can best be done by covering a considerable area of the 
brooder floor with a thin layer of chaff or fine litter, and after the 
first day or two feed the ground grain in this material. 
15. Clean Feeding.—Health is the one great essential, and 
in order to promote this the feed must be clean. This point is 
important when feeding wet mashes. The mash should not be 
allowed to remain from one period to another, since it will become 
sour. Nothing will upset the digestive system of the chick more 
quickly than sour feed. The litter and sand in the feeding com- 
partment should be kept as free as possible from droppings, and 
should be changed frequently. 
Many methods of feeding are in use, some of which bring 
uniformly good results and are especially recommended. Two 
methods or plans are here outlined. It must be remembered 
that there is no such thing as a best ration to suit all conditions. 
The first eighteen hours in brooder,—grit, shell, and water, 
with short-cut alfalfa on the floor of the brooder. 
The day following,—pinhead oatmeal, three feedings. 
The next five days,—feed the following cracked-grain ration 
on the brooder floor five times daily, giving only what they will 
clean up between feedings: 
Cracked corn............... 20 lbs. Granulated milk (fine)...... . 10 lbs. 
Fine cracked wheat......... 25 lbs. Crushed peas............... 3 Ibs. 
Pinhead oatmeal ........... 5lbs. Fine charcoal............... 3 Ibs. 
Supplemental to this ration,—hard-boiled eggs once a day, 
sprouted oat tops twice daily in small amounts. 
The seventh day,—start feeding wheat bran in small hoppers, 
letting it stand before the chicks two hours, and omit the noon 
grain feeding. 
