94 HAN^AGEUBNT OF CHICKEKS. 



Chickens should never be let out too early in the morning ^ 

 even when they . are three weeks or a month old, as it i^ certainly - 

 bad for them to be about while the dew is on the grass. 



The coops should be constantly changed about from place to 

 place, but never allowed to stand on Vet, moist ground. One 

 of the great secrets in rearing chickens is aViewys tcrTteep them i/ry. 

 If they are allowed to be out in the wet, or kept on damp ground, 

 they will soon become delicate. "Oapes," that fatal malady 

 will: attack them, or diarrhoea, or some other ailment, and they' 

 will soon die oflf. 



When they begin to feather the very greatest care should be 

 ' taken of them, as this is a very critical period. Hempseed and 

 bread soaked should be given, and iron in their water. At six 

 months they should be in full plumage, and in seven or eight 

 months the pullets, if they have been well fed up to this time, 

 will commence laying. "Tailings" (wheat) are really the best 

 grain food for chiekeiis up to four months. After they first 

 begin to eat grain many people advise barley,' but if you can get 

 wheat — which is not, however, always easy to procure — ^I infi- 

 nitely prefer it. If you must give barley, then let it be bruised; 



I am no friend to keeping chicks indoors, as some people advise, 

 for I am convinced it makes them weakly. Find a sheltered 

 comer for the coop, and move them into it even in cold weather, 

 only put the coop under shelter at night. Confining them in- 

 doors, even in a bam or a stable, appears to produce cramp and 

 weakness of the legs, which when turned out is not the case, for 

 tbe best and surest preventive for cramp and leg-weakness is to 

 let the birds'so affected have their liberty in the air, where they 

 can get the exercise they really require.. 



With regard to the time for chickens to be hatched out, I rear 

 young chickens most months, in the year, but then my fowl- 

 house is in a sheltered place and on good dry soil. If you sit 



