1905.] 



Growth of Chickens. 



259 



was used for each lot, and the cost of oil consumed in lamps 

 was 1*2 5d. per week each ; that is 5d. for the four weeks. 



Foods and Feeding. — The dry feeding system has again been 

 adopted, and the following report shows the value of that method. 

 The same mixtures were supplied as in the previous year, 

 except that wheat was substituted for Mixture B. at the end of 

 the eighth week. The dry feed is scattered among the litter, 

 and the birds have to scratch in finding it, thus obtaining 

 constant and beneficial exercise. 



The following foods were employed during the experiment : — 



A. — Dry Feed Mixture (First Four Weeks). 

 By weight. 



Wheat (cracked) ... ... ... 3 parts Broken maize ... ... 



Dari ... ... ... ... 2 ,, Hempseed or Buckwheat 



Canary seed ... ... ... 2 ,, Rice 



Oatmeal 2 ,, Meat 



Millet ..' 2 Grit 



By weight. 

 I part 

 I >> 

 I ,, 



I „ 

 I 



To make I cwt., I part = 7 lb. 

 B. 



Cost, 10s. 8d. per cwt., I*i4d. per lb. 



Wheat (cracked) .. 

 Broken maize 



Dari 



Buckwheat 

 Rice 



Barley meal 

 Toppings ... 



Dry Feed Mixture (After Four Weeks). 

 By weight. 



Hempseed 



Meat 



Linseed... 



Grit and oyster shell ... 



3 parts 

 2 



... 2 

 1 



Cost, 7s. 6d. per cwt., o*8d. per lb. 



C. — Soft Food (After Eight Weeks). 

 By weight. 

 ... 4 parts Meat 

 4 



Cost, 7s. 9d. per cwt., ©"83d. per lb. 



By weight. 

 . .. I part 

 ... I ,, 

 ... I „ 

 ... I 



By weight. 

 ... I part 



D. — Biscuit Meal. 

 Spratt's Patent Chicken Meal, 18s. 4d. per cwt., 2d. per lb. 



E. — Wheat. 

 7s. per cwt., |d. (o*75d.) per lb. 



The prices charged are those at which the above foods can be 

 purchased generally. 



In feeding, the soft food was supplied in sufficient quantities 

 to be cleared up at once ; the hard corn was left for about half 

 to three-quarters of an hour, and then removed. 



Green food was supplied, but when the birds were out on the 

 grass it was seldom eaten. It was given after hard food, so that 

 we could arrive at the weight of food consumed. 



Y 2 



