FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT OF CHICKS 



itself in these hurrying days. However, in my opinion, it is 

 also a point of importance. I always make it a rule to direct 

 my helpers to change the order of visiting the coops, and to 

 commence alternately at the opposite end of the arrange- 

 ment of the coops, and not begin at the same coop each time, 

 so thus attempt to equalise matters to a great extent. Of 

 course, we see that the middle ones get served the most 

 regularly and systematically even then. 



"Now with regard to water for young Pheasants, Of 

 course, again a great deal depends on the rearing-field, 

 whether the grass is long or short. In fields of short grass it 

 might be needful to use water. I have tried both ways. I 

 have used water for successive seasons, and I have reared 

 season after season without water, and I really fail to see 

 which is best. However, during very hot dry weather 

 in the seasons when I did not use water I had carried a 

 garden watering-can, with a rose on the spout of course, 

 and the finer holed it is the better, and I have just lightly 

 sprinkled the grass in front of and around the coops. Naturally 

 in dry weather the feed ought always to be given in a more 

 moist condition, and in wet weather vice versa, but to those 

 who decide to use water regularly, I should like to say I find 

 it very beneficial to place a little alum in the water, as I 

 always find alum thus used will prevent gapes. 



"In preparing Pheasants' food I think it is very beneficial 

 to add a little bone-meal to every feed from the commence- 

 ment, as I find that young Pheasants thus supplied from the 

 first are very rarely attacked with that terrible disease cramp. 

 In fact, the use of bone-meal is a cure for cramp, or perhaps 

 I should rather say prevention, for it is of no use to wait till 

 the birds have already contracted cramp and then begin the 

 usual dosing with bone-meal, for they are then in too weak a 

 state to assimilate but the smallest amount. Then another 



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