330 Animal Husbandry 
appetite. Green food should be given twice a day. At night the 
chicks should have all the food they will eat. 
530. Sorting uneven flocks. — Chicks of different size should 
not be fed together, as the strong ones will take advantage of the 
weak ones. Hence, if the flock is uneven, the smaller chicks should 
be separated from the larger ones. Fresh, clean water should be 
constantly before the fowls, and it should be furnished in vessels 
that will not allow the down of the chick to become wet. 
531. Exercise. — In developing young fowls, exercise is of the 
utmost importance, and when possible free range should be pro- 
vided. Unless provision is made for sufficient exercise the young 
fowls will not make satisfactory growth and development. Young 
chicks, however, should not be permitted to run in moist land, 
but should be ranged on a dry southern slope. 
FEEDING FOR EGG PRODUCTION 
‘In the feeding of fowls for increased egg production, a valuable 
lesson may be learned from the natural habits of the animals. As 
a rule, fowls lay most abundantly in the spring, particularly when 
left to shift for themselves. If given free range at this season of the 
year, they obtain green food in the tender shoots of grass and other 
young plants. They also obtain meat food in the form of insects, 
worms, and the like. Such natural food, in connection with some 
grain, forms a good ration for the egg-producing hen. In feeding 
for increased egg production, therefore, it should be the object to 
prolong spring-like conditions throughout the year. 
532. Feed a variety. — ‘“‘ The fowls should eat about one-half 
as much mash (ground feed) by weight as whole grain. Regulate 
the proportion of grain and ground feed by giving a light feeding of 
grain in the morning and about all they will consume in the after- 
noon. In the case of heavy-laying fowls, restrict. both night and 
morning feeding to induce heavy eating of dry mash, especially in 
the case of hens. This ration should be supplemented with beets, 
