Care of Baby Chicks. 
7 
When the chicks are from 10 days to 2 weeks old use a mash, 
composed of the following, to take the place of the johnnycake or 
bread. All ingredients are measured by weight. 
2 parts bran. 
2 parts middlings or oatmeal. 
1 part corn meal. 
i part or 10 per cent sifted meat scrap. 
Tliis mash may be placed in a hopper, where it can not be wasted, 
and left before the chicks at all times, or it may be fed as a moist, 
crumbly mash once each day, and the grains fed the chicks three 
times a day. When the chickens are 8 or 10 weeks old add 1 part 
of ground oats, increase the meat scrap to 1 part, the corn meal to 
2 parts, and decrease the bran to 1 part. 
As soon as the chickens are old enough and will eat whole wheat, 
cracked corn, or other grains, the small-sized feed may be discon- 
tinued and the larger-sized grains fed to the chickens three times a 
day. In addition to the grain feed, chickens must be supplied with 
grit, oyster shell, and charcoal at all times, and the better way is 
to place these in a hopper, hanging it in a convenient place so that 
the chicks may help themselves. Use sifted or chick-size grit and 
oyster shell until the chicks are 8 to 10 weeks old. 
If chicks are kept in confinement they must be furnished a liberal 
supply of tender, green feed, like lawn clippings, sprouted oats, cab- 
bage or lettuce leaves, and such other things as may be available. 
If the chicks have to be kept confined to a small coop with a yard 
attached, move the coop and yard to fresh grass or soil every few 
days or before the grass is killed. Whenever possible, however, 
chicks should have grass range, when they will obtain their own 
green feed, and catch bugs and worms. Chicks that are allowed to 
run on a grass range are usually strong and thrifty and will grow 
much more rapidly than those that are kept in confinement. 
Tire chickens’ growth may be hastened considerably by giving 
them sour milk to drink in addition to other feeds. Cliickens are 
very fond of milk in any form and will consume a liberal supply of 
it. Either sweet or sour milk may be fed, but the latter is more 
desirable. Sour milk will help to keep chickens healthy and is one 
of the best things that can be fed to promote rapid growth and 
development. When plenty of milk is fed, the amount of meat 
scrap in the mash may be reduced one-half or entirely omitted. 
