RAISING YOUNGSTERS 201 



bountifully supplied with sound clean grain where they can get 

 it at any time they might wish to eat. Feed them a balanced 

 ration so that they might derive the benefits therefrom and 

 grow as they should. Never feed scratch grain for it does not 

 contain the proper amount of nutriment. Do not stint young- 

 sters in their feed. 



Fresh water should be ever before them as should a plentiful 

 supply of health grit. Do not overlook the charcoal and rock 

 salt. Salt in this form is very essential to the growing bodies 

 of the young birds. Be sure to keep everything in and around 

 their loft in a sanitary condition so that disease in any form 

 may be avoided and should it happen to show up in one of the 

 birds remove the affected bird immediately for the others might 

 contract the disease. 



Work with your youngsters. If you see any promising birds 

 in the lot tame them and train them for the show room. If 

 I were asked how to condition a bird for the show room I would 

 say "start working with it when it is growing and raise it 

 properly, training it as it grows so that posing will be second 

 nature. Teach them to show off to best advantage." Tame birds 

 are very easily handled by the judges and win their admiration 

 very quickly. Many a big winner is made right in the rearing 

 pen. The wise breeder realizes this and starts with his show 

 string when they are youngsters. 



The care which you give your youngsters is bound to reflect 

 later and the man who raises his young birds properly is sure 

 to reap a reward later. Do not leave your youngsters to shift 

 tor themselves, so to speak, but watch them and nurse them 

 into what you would have them when grown. Many a young 

 bird is ruined by careless feeding and indifferent attention and 

 on the other hand many a winner is made by the opposite. 



