CHICKEN-REARING 89 
At 1 p.m. soft food prepared as described above is given to the 
chickens. About 6 P.M., or earlier according to the season, the 
birds receive as much dry chick feed as they will eat. 
At the beginning of the fifth week after hatching, and until they 
are seven weeks old, the chickens are fed as in the fourth week, 
but instead of the chick feed they receive a mixture consisting of 
60 per cent. whole wheat and 40 per cent. chick feed. 
When the chicks are seven weeks old they are moved to larger 
runs and are housed in Sussex arks, which are provided with 
slatted floors through which the manure falls. Wooden floors 
are placed on the ground below the arks in order that the manure 
may be collected and used. 
At 7 a.m. the birds receive a mixture composed of 1 Ib. meat 
meal, 2 lb. biscuit meal and 1} Ib. bran. 
This amount is soaked in 1} gallons of boiling water and dried 
off with a mixture composed of 2 lb. barley meal and 9 lb. fine 
sharps. 
This ration is given to the birds again at 1 p.m. The evening 
feed consists of 90 per cent. of whole wheat and 10 per cent. 
of cracked maize. 
An alternative system of feeding which has proved advan- 
tageous is as follows :— 
7.0 AM. Soft food (as described above). 
10-30 A.M. A half feed of mixed grain. 
1.30 P.M. A half feed of the soft food. 
6.0 p.m. As much mixed grain as the birds will eat. 
