72 CHICKS 



which time they will be ready for their first feed. When 

 the chicks are all taken from the nest, greased and marked, 

 then give the mother hen a good dusting with some good in- 

 sect powder before giving the chicks to her again, as it is of 

 great importance that both hen and chicks should be free 

 from lice if the chiqks are to make rapid growth and keep in 

 good health and vigor. Most of the ills of chick life may be 

 trsiced to the ravages of lice and one of the main duties of the 

 fancier in the care of his chicks is to keep them free from 

 these pests. 



There are, no doubt, many ideas as to the proper feed for 

 young chicks the first few weeks of their lives; but experience 

 has taught us that the best feed for a young chick is dry feed, 

 small grains, etc., as found in the best of our prepared chick 

 feeds. There are several good brands of this on the market, 

 and we know of nothing that is better for young chicks from 

 their first meal along through the first few weeks of their lives. 

 We have never had a case of bowel trouble in our chicks 

 since using such feed for the first three weeks; the small grains 

 seem to be just the thing for the little fellows and the small 

 amount of animal matter put up in the feed is sufficient for 

 them in that line. ' After the first three weeks one may begin 

 giving bread soaked in milk, but feeding it as dry as possible 

 by squeezihg out the milk and crumbling up the bread. 

 We also begin feeding ground green bone at this period; 

 get the joint bones from your meat market and feed the clucks 

 the best part of it, that is, the most tender and juicy part. 

 A good bone mill will put it in shape so the chicks can eat 

 it without any trouble. 



Feed Little and Often. 



Feed the chicks a little at a time, but feed often; scatter 

 the feed in chaff, or some good scratching litter to gi\'e the 

 little fellows the exercise necessary to develop their strength. 

 Don't over feed: a bunch of young chicks require but little 

 at a time and should not be given enough to stuff their 

 crops, but enough so that it may show in the slight swelling 

 of the crop that indicates a fair meal. When a month or 

 six weeks X)f age they can be fed more heartily, but in general 

 it is best to be moderate in the amount fed and to feed often. 

 We keep water within their reach from the time of their 



