382 POULTRY PRODUCTION 



they may be sure that it has not heated or moulded. A 

 feeder should always take the precaution to bury the nose 

 in a double handful of any grain intended for newly hatched 

 youngsters in an effort to detect the slightest suggestion 

 of sourness or mustiness. Meat scraps should also be care- 

 fully scrutinized for taint (see page 344). Only those feeds 

 which are perfectly sweet may be fed without grave danger 

 of a high death rate. 



Chick Rations. — Philips' reports excellent results from the 

 following ration for chicks: 



Grain. Dry mash. 



10 pounds cracked corn (sifted) 10 pounds bran 



10 pounds cracked wheat 10 pounds shorts 



10 pounds "steel cut" oats S pounds com meal 



5 pounds meat scraps 

 2i pounds charcoal 

 Plenty of sour milk or buttermilk 

 to drink. 



If milk is not available, the meat scraps in the mash may 

 be increased to fifteen pounds. The milk, however, is very 

 much preferred, as the acid in sour milk or buttermilk has a 

 beneficial effect on the digestive tract. 



For chicks, as for old stock of whatever class, the drinking 

 water should be plentiful, kept fresh and always contain 

 enough permanganate of potassium to give it a rich wine 

 color. The reason for doing the latter with all classes of 

 stock is that it helps to keep in check intestinal parasites 

 of various sorts, and is an excellent means of preventing the 

 spread of such diseases as effect the nasal cavities, mouth 

 and intestinal tract, through the drinking water. 



The grain is fed in a litter from the first and the mash 

 supplied in a suitable hopper when the birds are five to 

 seven days old. If it is desirable to force the chicks rapidly, 

 the proportion of mash may be increased. 



Jaffa'' recommends as a chick feed a mixture made up of 

 the following material cracked or crushed until it is the size 

 of a millet: 



> Purdue Extension Bulletin No. 10. 

 s California Bulletin No. 164. 



