136 THE HOME POULTRY BOOK 



Although oats are the grain commonly sprouted 

 for green food, barley, wheat or rye may be used 

 just as well. The grain should be covered with 

 warm water and soaked over night. In the morn- 

 ing it may be spread in shallow boxes having drain- 

 age holes in the bottom and sprinkled every day with 

 a watering can, using hot water. When the sprouts 

 are an inch or two long they are just right for 

 chickens, but they may be allowed to grow to a 

 length of five or six inches for mature fowls. If 

 the grain is turned or stirred every day, the shoots 

 will not grow as thick as otherwise. This is the 

 much advertised secret of food at fifteen cents a 

 bushel. 



If the chicks must be raised in the same runs year 

 after year, it is a great advantage to cover the sur- 

 face with coal ashes, which should be replaced each 

 season. The ashes keep the soil from becoming 

 foul, tend to keep the ground dry and are relished 

 by the chicks, which consume considerable of 

 them. 



When laying hens or pullets must be moved, they 

 should be kept rather hungry for several days and 

 fed in a fresh, deep litter. Being busy hunting 

 food, they will be less excited or disturbed over 



