82 CHICKS 



will be found on the young chicks even with this method, 

 and the only thing to do then is to catch them and witii a 

 machine oil can drop sweet oil on their heads and under their 

 throats. 



If chicks are four or five weeks old, lice may be found 

 in the fluff feathers. Lice will leave the head as soon as 

 these feathers start and a little lice powder sifted into the 

 plumage here will kill them all. 



The coops used on our farm will . comfortably shelter 

 twenty-five to thirty four-month-old chicks. They are 

 light and easily moved from place to place. 



A very essential factor in the care of young stock is the 

 feed. 



After chicks are two months old they will live on most any 

 feed. But the breeder who is raising poultry for breeding 

 and exhibition must give the feed question more than passing 

 notice. 



A Satisfactory Method of Feeding. 



There are so many different methods of feeding, many of 

 which are good, that I shall not attempt to argue which is 

 best, but will give my way of feeding which gives me most 

 satisfying results. For a whole grain ration I feed equal 

 parts wheat and millet seed morning and evening until chicks 

 are three npnths old. At noon I feed a dry mash made of 

 one part commeal, two parts ground oats and one part bran, 

 by measure. To this mixture is added from fifteen to twen- 

 ty per cent of beef scraps. This is fed dry in feed troughs. 

 I't is surprising how soon they will learn to eat this feed and 

 nothing is left bnt a few oat hulls. 



When chicks are about three months old the millet seed 

 is replaced with whole oats. Oats is one of the very best 

 feeds for chickens, old and young. 



When the chicks are about five months old I begin to 

 teach them to roost in the main house. Brown Leghorn 

 chicks at this age will take to the trees, unless taught to roost 

 elsewhere. The brood coops are located near the main house 

 and by coaxing the chicks into the main yards with feed, 

 I can soon teach them to roost in the main house. This 

 saves a lot of work in the fall. One will realize this after 

 he has climbed round in tree tops on a frosty moonlight night 



