93 IIAirAaEUENT OF CHtCKBNS,^ 



The old hen should be supplied with grain (wheat), some of the 

 meal, or any other food suitable for her when h^ little ones are 

 fed, but not oats. All water which is given to the chickens 

 should be boiled first, or else it is very apt to give them diarr- 

 hoea. A very good drinking-pan can be made for the small birds 

 by inverting an ordinary flowerpot in its saucer, and filling the 

 latter with water. In this they cannot drown themselves, as 

 they might in a deeper pan or ordinal^ drinklag-trongh. Many 

 people give skim-milk instead of water at first. 



All the time chickens are growing they shquld be well fed. It 

 Is the very greatest mistake to stint any young stock; and chick- 

 ens, if you wish to bring them on quickly for market, must be 

 well and generously fed at all ages, not neglected when three- 

 parts grown, as is too often done. They should be constantly 

 supplied with fresh water. 



It is certainly best to confine the hen under a coop for the first 

 month or so. If she is allowed her liberty she will wander about 

 with her brood in search of insfeots, and so may expose her family 

 to the attacks of hawks, weasels, or other vermin. And, besides 

 this, though you wish to feed your hen well while with her brood, 

 it would be rather foolish to allow her to satisfy her appetite on 

 the •dainties prepared for them, which she naturally will do un- 

 less you give them their meal where she cannot reach it, but 

 giving her under her coop at the same time coarser food. Econ- 

 omy points out that delicate and expensive food, such as groats, 

 boiled eggs, and crumbs of bread, should be reserved for the 

 chicks, while the hen has wheat or ordinary food. I should not 

 feel inclined to give her oats or barley unbruised for this reason: 

 she will, Qf course, call her little ones joyfully to her to partake 

 of the food gi^en her, and they might choke themselves with 

 large wholegrain, such as oats or barley. Rice will not hurt 

 them (boiled, of course), nor wheat, which is a much smaller 



