510 A STUDY OF FARM ANIMALS 



ter, care should he taken to see that water and not ice or 

 snow is supphed. A flock of fifty hens will use from four 

 to six quarts of water a day in ordinary weather conditions. 



Feeding rations for fowls naturally vary, some persons 

 preferring one ration and some another. Most of these here 

 given are easily secured or may be readily prepared, as the 

 foods used in the combinations are grown over a wide extent 

 of country. The rations given are quoted from reports, 

 and so differ in total amounts and in statement of weights 

 or parts. The common method, however, is to mix up a 

 quantity of feed, and then use as much as the flock requires. 



The feeding of young chicks requires very careful atten- 

 tion. The following is the general course of feeding recom- 

 mended by the poultry department of the Ohio State Uni- 

 versity. Milk should be the first food given. Either fine 

 commercial chick feed or finely cracked corn and wheat 

 should be given in the litter about five times daily, making 

 sure the chicks have to scratch in the litter to get the grain. 

 Plenty of exercise for the chicks is desirable. For the first 

 week bran should be kept available in shallow pans all the 

 time, as this is rich in mineral matter, is bulky, and serves 

 as a mild laxative. As the chicks get older the grain feed- 

 ing can gradually be reduced until only morning and even- 

 ing scratch feeds are given. The following course of feed- 

 ing is especially recommended for the various stages of 

 development, using as much of the several mixtures as may 



be desirable. 



First week Second to eighth week 



Scratch Feed Scratch Feed 



50 lbs. corn finely cracked 60 lbs. corn finely cracked 



40 " wheat " " 40 lbs. wheat " 



10 " rolled oats Mash 



Mash 20 lbs. bran 



Wheat bran 10 " middlings 



Milk all time _ 10 " corn meal 



10 " ground oats 

 5 " meat scraps or tankage* 

 1 " bone meal 

 *Use milk in place of scrap or tankage, if available. 



