Feeding Poultry 
first food must be of such character 
that it may be readily digested, 
such as stale bread dipped in milk. 
Ground or finely cracked grain soaked 
in milk may be fed to advantage. 
From the beginning, chicks should be 
encouraged to eat dry, cracked grain 
in addition to the moist feed. This 
food should contain fine grit, charcoal, 
and granulated bone. 
528. Frequency of feeding. — For 
the first few days, the chicks are 
usually fed five times a day. They 
should be required to clean up their 
food, although they should be given 
all they will eat. The number of 
meals is later reduced to four and 
hen to three times daily. If kept in 
mall yards, the chicks should be fed 
more often and given a smaller quan- 
tity at a feeding than if given a free 
range. 
529. Amount to feed. — The morn- 
ing meal should consist of grain, 
which should be fed under such con- 
ditions that the chicks will be obliged 
to hunt for it, as, for example, on a 
light litter of straw. The amount fed 
should be controlled by the appetites 
of the chicks. If, perchance, they 
should be overfed, no more food 
should be given until they are eager 
for it, and the subsequent feeding 
should be just sufficient to satisfy the 
329 
Fic. 133.— Young chicks feeding in litter of straw. 
