THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 



better part of a day and all hatched normally. Anyone having 

 the opportunity to rear bobwhites in the manner suggested should 

 have a flock of cochin bantam chickens and keep hens setting 

 during the season nests are likely to be disturbed. These little 

 fluffy hens hatch the eggs and mother the chicks perfectly. It 

 is well to make the nests with fine, moist, sifted peat or leaf 

 mould lined with fine chaff, grass or lawn clippings, to prevent 

 breaking of the delicate eggs, and every precaution must be 

 taken to keep both nest and hen clean and entirely free from 

 lice and mites. Also select quiet hens and keep them as tame as 

 possible. 



If no rats, cats or other vermin are around, and if the soil 

 has not been contaminated by domestic poultry so that turkeys 

 can be reared without danger from blackhead, the bantam hens 

 may be allowed to rear the chicks, giving them the free run of 

 the garden and orchard. We must be sure that they have plenty 

 of insects for the first few days. We may get these by sweeping 

 the grass with an insect net, by trapping flies, singeing their 

 wings before feeding, by gathering "ants' eggs" from under 

 stones or in ant hills, and, best of all for the first meal, by cutting 

 weeds or branches covered with plant lice. The standard insect 

 food is fly maggots, which may be raised by the peck, as is com- 

 monly done for young turkeys. We can also raise meal worms 

 in any quantities, and these have often tided a flock over a week 

 of cold, stormy weather when fly maggots would not grow and 

 other insects could not be collected. 



After the first few days, vegetable matter is eaten freely 

 and supplies needed variety. Any of the following may be used: 

 fresh chickweed, clover, sorrel blossoms, grasses in blossom or 

 seed, weed seeds of all kinds, all sorts of berries in season, as 

 well as apple, grated carrot, boiled rice, boiled potato, bread 

 crumbs, dry or moistened with either fresh or sour milk. 



Standard artificial foods are: sour milk curds or cottage 

 cheese, or any cheese grated or crumbled, and plain custard 

 (made by beating an egg in a half cup of fresh milk and baking 



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