BROODING 



37 



As a Shelter from Sun. 



ration for the first three months of their life. Considered 

 simply as a food ration it is economical, but when we con- 

 sider that it is a good foundation for the future usefulness of 

 the bird, and that a good foundation for chicled" means eggs 

 in the basket next fall and winter — then we realize that 

 oaftneal is a cheap food in the best sense of the term. 



By the time the 

 chicks are six to 

 eight weeks old the 

 principal dangers of 

 chickenhood are past 

 and the two dif- 

 ferent methods of 

 feeding are inaugur- 

 ated. The chickens 



intended to be raised for breeding stock are put out in the 

 fields, where they have a grass run and a free range. The 

 chickens intended for market are kept confined in the 

 brooder house pens and yards and fed a slightly different 

 grade of food. The principal difference is in increasing the 

 amount of cracked corn and corn meal of the market chicks 

 and cutting off the oatmeal, of course the green food being 

 plentifully supplied and grit being constantly accessible. 

 The chicks in the field intended for laying and breeding 

 stock must have a, liberal supply of nourishing, strengthen- 

 ing food, which will build up a strong, healthy and vigorous 

 body, with stores of strength to lean upon when maturity 

 shall come. The breakfast is bread crumbs, continued 

 usually until the chicks are about ten 

 weeks old, when they are graduated into 

 a inorning mash of cooked vegetables 

 (which makes about one-third of the 

 whole) and mixed meals, being equal 

 parts by weight of corn meal, ground oats, 

 fancy middlings and bran (or shorts); this 

 is salted about as it would be if it were 

 food for the table. The vegetables are 

 potatoes, beets, turnips, carrots, onions 

 — anything in the vegetable line, thor- 

 oughly cooked and mashed fine, the 

 mixed meals being stirred in until it is stiff as a strong arm 

 can make it. The breakfast in the morning is this mash; 

 in the middle of the forenoon a light feed of coarse oatmeal, 

 moistened; just after dinner a light feed of cracked wheat 

 and about five o'clock whole wheat or cracked corn, one, one 

 day the other the next. About twice a week we have fresh 

 meat (butcher's trimmings), which are boiled and then 

 chopped fine. This we mix with the oatmeal (about half 

 and half) for the second feeding. We have also a bone cutter 

 and twice a week the chicks have a good time wrestling and 

 trampling over each other in their eagerness to get the fresh 

 cut bone. Cut bone, if perfectly fresh and sweet, is one of 

 the best animal food supplies that we have, but, if this is 

 not available, meat meal or beef scraps should be mixed 

 into the morning mash, about one-quarter ounce per bird 

 per day, for young birds, increasing to about one-half ounce 

 per day as they approach maturity. 



We vary the food ration continually within the range 

 here described. For instance, one day the food will be mash, 

 bread crumbs, cracked wheat and cracked corn; next day, 

 mash, oatmeal and chopped meat, cracked corn, and whole 

 wheat; the next day bread crumbs, cut bone, oatmeal, cracked 

 corn and so on. The intention is to feed only what the chicks 

 will eat up clean and quickly; but we break the rule so far 



A Shed Hoof Shelter 



as the last feed is concerned and the boy goes around a 

 second time twenty or thirty minutes after feeding, and if 

 the food is all eaten up clean three or four handfuls more are 

 put down so that all shall have a chance to "fill up" for the 

 night. If a handful is left uneaten it quickly disappears in 

 the morning, and as it is always dly grain it does not sour 

 and there is no danger from leaving it out. 



We have said nothing about fresh water because it goes 

 without saying that fresh, clean water must always be ac- 

 cessible to the chickens. We water them three times a dSiy, 

 morning, noon and late afternoon; some times going around 

 between while if it is hot weather and the chickens are 

 likely to drink a good deal. The water dishes are care- 

 fully rinsed once a day and water which is fresh and cool 

 is always accessible to them. Grit to grind the food is an- 

 other necessity, a pan of which is placed near each food 

 trough out in the field, or a small box of it in each pen in 

 the brooder house. We have personally noted that chickens 

 when let out of the coops in the morning would go to the 

 grit dish for two or three bits of grit before going to join 

 their mates at the food trough. 



Thus far we have been writing about chicks raised for 

 breeding stock. When the market chicks are six to eight 

 weeks old we cut off the oatmeal (or ground oats) from the 

 food ration, double the quantity of corn meal and cracked 

 corn, feeding also on wheat or barley, feeding them occa- 

 sionally, say once a week, a feed of whole oats for a change. 

 The corn meal and meat meal are gradually increased and a 

 week to ten days before the chickens 

 are to be marketed a very little gluten 

 meal is added to the ration and the 

 meat meal practically doubled in quan- 

 tity until we are feeding a full ounce 

 per bird per day. With this decidedly 

 fattening ration the birds should go to 

 market in first-class condition and bring 

 top prices for market chicks. 



The chicks intended for breeding 

 stock have free range and can roam over 

 the fields at will in search of insects 

 worms, etc., the exercise pf ranging promoting growth and 

 good health. We study to promote the comfort and well 

 being of the chicks, believing that it pays to do so. The 

 coops are kept scrupulously clean by being moved to fresh 

 ground every other day, and every reasonable pains is taken 

 to insure steady, continuous growth. ■ It is the full egg bas- 

 ket in November, December and January, when eggs bring 

 top prices and pay the creamy profits, that is being planned 

 for and worked for in this good care and good feeding, and 

 we have abundantly proved on our farm that this good care 



and good feeding pay 

 richly. We cannot 

 get a valuable 

 thing for nothing; 

 the good things in 

 this world come by 

 working for the m, 

 and th& good profits 

 that are to be gained 

 in poultry raising have got to be worked for. With us the 

 problem is early hatched pullets kept growing so that they 

 shall come to laying maturity in October, and then kept lay- 

 ing. Our pullets are kept growing, and after they reach 

 laying maturity are kept laying, by good care and good food. 



As a Shelter from Rain. 



