Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1886-05-28
FARM, GARDEN AND HOUSEHOLD.
How to Raise Chickens.

NulchcnS 10 not neeu any 1000 during
the first twenty-four hours after they are
Matched. The contents of the yelk blg,
which bag is absorbed into the stomach
Immediately before Matching takes place
contains sufficient nOurishment for the
first day, and any attempt 10 compel III
chick to swallow other food is likely to
do more harm than good by the derange-
meht of the digestive organs. There will
be no difficulty in getting the chicks to
cat if they are simply left alone for the
first twenty-fOur Lours after they make
their debut INTO the world
AL such practices as tho giving of a
peppercOrn to the newly-hatched chick
are most Objectionable indeed, and are
founded either on superstition or ignor-
ance. Such pungent things as pepper
corus must be very trying indeed to n
delicate organ like the stomach of a
young chick. That still more objection
able practice of tearing off the horn or
seal. which nature has placed on the
beak of chicks to enable them to break
open their prison house, combines cruelty
with other things, for thi scale will drop
off itself within a few days. The less
WIN hSHo diC WIN lllC b-NtEl
during the early stages of their growth.
The first food should consist of hard
boiled egg, chopped fine and mixed
with twice their bulk of breau crumbs.
Trose eggs which have been set IN for a
week, and proved to BE- infertle, answer
capitally for feeding the chickens. Fail
ing these, We shou purchase duck eggs
in preference to using fre,h eggs from
the hens, unless the latter are exception
ally plentiful. Only as much of the egg
and bread crumbs should be prepared as
will serve two or three times, as it soon
loses its freshness, and if sour will cause
securing. 1t should be 81 Chilly moistened
with milk, but very slightly-just suffi-
cicnt to damp it. Much depends on the
way in which the bread crumbs are pre-
pared.
When the chicks are eight or nine days
cd they may have the egg and bread
crumbs discontinued, in pace of which
can be given little boiled rec, but
not much Of that, and some oatmeal
mixed with barley or wheat meal, or,
if it can be obtained, in place of the oat-
meal some ground oats. When they are
about fortnight old, little crushed
! buckwheat may be put down to them,
as they will not be able to manage the
whole corn until they are older.
From the time stated they may be
gradually accustomed to a palmer di,
until four months old in the case of the
more rapidly growing breeds and five
months in the others, when they will
require no different treatment from 10
older fowl. There should always be
mixed with the soft food little bt NJ
meal, which is regarde | as an invalua
! bic thing for chicken rearing; that is
! the best which is about as coarse as
ordinary oatmeal.
For the first week or ten days, every
two hours; from ten days to month
old, every three hours; after that time
five times day, and when two months
old four times a day. 1t is most desi a.
! BILE that the time of feeding be as equally
divided as possible and be strictly OBJ
served.
The first feel should be early in the
morning, say about an hour after day
break. This may necessitate early rising
on the part of some one, but that grace is q
NEST essential one for the chicken raiser.
1t can scarcely be expected that chickens
will thrive properly which have to run
about hungry for hours after they are
astir. Some feeders leave little hemp
seed over night, SO that the birds can
help themselves i'll the morning. This
is undoubtedly better than nothing, but
they will be more likely to do we'll il
they have a warm feed first of all.
Much contention has been raised as tc
whether chickens should lave water oil
! not. As to whether they can be raised
without liquid, ne IDS no discussion. That
has been proved possible often. But
what is possible is not always advisable,
and think it no desirable that tn,
chickens should have access TO water
They will only drink as mach of it a,
their system requires.
One most important thing in the feed
ing of chickens is a supply of greer
food. If they are being reared on nice
piece o f juicy grass, they can do with
out anything else; but even then sup
ply of fresh lettuce will b. to theil
benefit. Should there not be grass, thu
lettuce becomes indispensable.