CARE OF THE GROWING STOCK. 



Successful Poultry Raisers Give Their Favorite Methods of Caring for end Managing Chicks from Six Weeks to Six 

 Months of Age— Original Plans of Roosting Coops— Range for the Youngsters— 



What and How to Feed. 



[In line with the symposium on "Feeding Brooder Chicks," and "Care of June Chicks," we present the following additional methods in use 

 among prominent breeders for bringing their growing stock to a vigorous maturity. The advice here given is of great value, as it is the result of 

 experiment and observation by men whose successes qualify them to take rank among the foremost producers of good poultry.— Bdito^]- 



COLONY COOP FOB GROWING FOWXS— GRASS BUNS 



AND SHADE— CONDITIONS AND POOD THAT 



PRODUCE BIG COCHINS. 



\UR chicks (Cochins) are hatched by both hens and in- 

 cubators. We use outdoor brooders, called 200- 

 chick size, and place from forty to fifty in each 

 brooder. When the chicks are about six weeks old 

 and are nicely feathered we divide them into lots of twelve 

 each, keeping the cockerels and pullets separate. They are 

 then placed in weaning coops, which are 5x6 feet, ground 

 plan, and three feet high in front and two feet at the 

 rear. (Fig. 1.) 



These coops are provided with frame doors hinged on 

 the inside and covered with one-4ourth inch mesh screen. 



On the outside a sol- 

 id wood d'oor is 

 hlinged a;t the top. 

 This door can be 

 raised or lowered 

 or closed entirely, 

 las the state of 

 'w e a t h e r may re- 

 quiire. On warm 

 summeir nSgihits the 

 screen door is closed 

 and the wood door 

 is lowered and 

 propped to providei 

 shelter in case of a 

 windstorm or hard 

 rain. Th'isi arrange- 

 ment gives the 

 chicks pletQ'ty of fresh air, and at the same time protects 

 them from vermin and night prowling animals. 



Having an abundance of green, grass and shade, these 

 weaning coops are almost constantly on the move. This re- 

 duces to a minimum the possibility of disease arising from 

 accumulated fllth, as is almost sure to occur if the chicks are 

 compelled to live on ground saturated with poisonous excre- 

 ments. During these stages of development they are given 

 - a thorough dusting of Persian insect powder once a week. 

 This treatment we consider to be very important, as we have 

 found by experience that lice cause more trouble than all 

 other ailments combined. 



From the ages of six weeks to six months the chicks are 

 fed cracked corn, pure clean wheat, hulled oats, and at noon 

 are given a mash feed of some good poultry food, and once 

 a week we add to this ration, fresh ground green bone. 



We never use any drugs or condiments and have no se- 

 cret method of getting our Cochins so large, as we have 



Fig, I— Coop with DouHe Doors Used by 

 A. W. Rudy A Son. 



found that if fresh pure food is used, combined with a little 

 brains while using it, and the chicks are kept under condi- 

 tions that will enable them to assimilate what is given 

 them, their growth will be rapid and their development 

 perfect. 



We are very careful when selecting the chicks to make 

 up a colony, to see that they are all of the same size and of 

 equal development. If any sihow a tendency to going back, 

 or slow development, they are immediately removed and 

 placed with a younger flock, where they will have at least a 

 fighting chance to keep up with the procession. When six 

 months old they are placed in larger houses, the floors of 

 which are covered with a thick bed of straw. Cochins have 

 no use for roosts till they are at least one year old. 



A. W. RUDY & SON. 



RAISED IN AN ORCHARD— ALLOWED TO "HAVE 

 THEIR OWN WAY"— VARIETY OP POOD. 



In regard to our care and managelment olf chicks from 

 six weeks to six months old, we have a large apple orchard 

 near the house which has been fenced in and made into four 

 large yards. A brooder house, or "summer home" for chicks 

 has been placed on the dividing line between the yards, so 

 that at this age we are able to separate the young pullets 

 and cockerels, giving them separate yards and roosting 

 places in the buildings. We have low, flat, movable roosts 

 standing on four legs, which are placed in the buildings soon 

 after the brooders are removed, and here you will find our 

 chicks at night until they are from one-half to two-thirds 

 grown. 



Some of them prefer the low branches of the trees which 

 are so conveniently near by, and as we find it means con 

 stant warfare to compel them to seek the buildings, while 

 they dwell in the orchards, we allow them to "have their 

 own way" until the unpleasant fall weather sets in, when 

 they are removed to winter quarters and sheltered at night. 

 We have a "cornfield" adjoining the yard in which the pul- 

 lets are allowed to roam one day, and the cockerels the next. 

 They always come home to roost and be fed. We usually 

 put about as many in each yard as we can get of the same 

 age and sex, varying from forty to seventy-five to the yard. 



In the morning we feed a mash composed of equal parts 

 of cornmeal, ground oats and wheat bran, with a little meat 

 scraps added, also a very little sa.lt. Have sometimes used 

 a prepared poultry food in place of this mash. The mash we 

 scald with equal parts of sweet milk and water, and feed 

 while just a little warm. The chicks are given all the fresh 

 skim milk and water they will drink, and a basin of "dutch 

 cheese" is sometimes added to the mash. A little fresh cut 

 green bone is fed once or twice a week if we can get it. At 

 noon oats, wheat or buckwheat is scattered in the yards for 

 them to hunt for, and at night they are fed all the wheat or 



