POULTRIY-CRAFT. 183 
chicks should be given range while growing. The bald fact that chicks are 
confined, or not confined, counts for nothing either way. Unquestionably the 
most favorable condition for obtaining the best development at least expense, 
is found where the chicks have a range which furnishes them a considerable 
part of their food —all green food and insect food, and seeds in variety — with* 
out their foraging so far that too much of what is eaten is expended in muscular 
energy. This condition depends on quite small flocks being widely separated, 
and is found much less often than is generally supposed; for most people who 
give their chicks range expect them to forage over a considerable area, and. 
indeed, compel them to do so; sometimes intentionally by withholding food. 
sometimes unintentionally by neglecting to give a variety of food. The 
method of colonizing the growing stock generally gives range only in name, 
for there are so many placed on so small an area (and often so little forage on 
the ground) that the amount of food each chick gets by foraging is insignifi- 
cant. It is, therefore, necessary to feed quite as much and as often as if they 
were confined in bare yards. The real advantage of the method is its cheap- 
ness and convenience, not the superiority of the stock produced by it. The 
coops cost little. No fences are used. The chicks are reared outside of the 
winter quarters (occupied by adult stock the year round) and thus the old stock 
is not crowded out at sacrifice prices to make room for the young ones — and 
can be worked off seasonably, gradually, and profitably. 
Not all poultry keepers are so situated that they can give their young stock 
range.even by colonizing. This need not deter them from rearing chicks, nor 
need they think it impossible to rear as good chicks as those who give the 
youngsters range. Just as good chicks can be reared in confinement (rather 
close confinement, at that) — as on the best range; — if the keeper will avoid 
crowding, keep them free from lice, keep their quarters clean, feed a liberal 
well balanced ration judiciously, and give opportunity for such exercisé as is 
given laying hens and breeding stock in confinement — but less of it compul- 
sory. Indeed, when the stock runs well up in the hundreds, confinement is a 
much better plan than colonizing with the flocks so near together that they 
can— and consequently do — feed as one flock; for in large flocks the chicks 
are crowded, (crowd each other), no matter how much room they have. The 
question of giving the growing stock range is just a question of opportunity 
and convenience. If one can give them the right kind of range, that is a very 
great advantage ¢o Aim. If one must keep them confined, he is handicapped 
to some extent, but not so badly that he cannot get results as good as the best, 
—only he must work harder for it. 
267. Culling the Growing Stock.—JIn breeding poultry for market 
exclusively, culling proper is not practiced. The chicks are merely sorted, 
the marketable ones taken as needed —the others left until better grown. In 
breeding laying stock, a very few of the choicest cockerels may be reserved 
for breeding purposes; the rest should be marketed at the age when they will 
bring most profit. The culling of the pullets extends only to marketing poorly 
