58 TWENTY LESSONS ON POULTRY KEEPING 



likely to gorge itself. From twenty-four to forty-eight 

 hours after hatchiBg is a good age at which to begin feeding. 

 Only a small quantity of food should be given to begin with, 

 but the amount should be gradually increased as the yolk 

 is used. 



Some claim that sour milk or buttermilk, if given to the 

 chick before any food is given, will have a medicinal value 

 in controlling diseases of the intestines. It will at least do 

 no harm to give the chicks a few drops of the milk, which 

 is a valuable food. All through the chick's life buttermilk 

 and sour milk are very beneficial and, to some degree, take 

 the place of meats. 



The first day's feed for the chick may be of hard boiled 

 egg, ground up fine, shell, yolk and white thoroughly mixed. 

 If the shell is not included in the mixture, some fine sand 

 should be sprinkled over the food. Grit or sand should not, 

 however, be given to chicks in quantities during the first 

 few days ; for the chicks are likely to eat too much of it. 



The feed for the second and third days should be a mix- 

 ture of boiled eggs, bread crumbs, and oatmeal. The egg 

 and bread crumbs should be gradually omitted, and wheat 

 bran added to take their place. When the chick is about a 

 week old, it may be given a good grade of chick feed for 

 grain, and a mixture of corn meal, oatmeal, and wheat bran 

 for mash. At the age of two months, chicks may be fed the 

 ration for laying hens. 



