Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-06-25
Farm and Household.
'OW TO RAISE CHICKENS.

after they are hatcheu. Inc COLI
tents of the yelk bag, which bag is
absorbed into the stomach immedi-
ately before Matching takes place,
contains sufficient nourishment for
the first day, and any attempt to
compel the chick to swallow other
food is likely to do more harm than
good by the arrangement OF the di'
gestive system. There will be NO
difficulty IN getting the chicks to
eat if they are simply left alone for
the first twenty-four hours after
they make their debut into the
world.
All such practices as the giving
of a peppercorn TO newly-hatched
chicks are most Objectionable, in
deed, and are founded either on
superstition or Ignorance. Such
pungent things as peppercorns
must be very trying indeed to a
delicate organ like the stomach of
a young chick. That still more
Objectionable practice of tearing of
the horn or scale which nature has
placed on the back of chicks to en-
able them to break open their prison
house, combines cruelty with other
things, for this scale will drop of
itself within few days. The less
chickens are interfered with the
better during the early stage OF
their growth.
The first food should consist OF
hardboiled eggs, chopped fine and
mixed with twice their bulk OF
bread crumbs. Those eggs which
have been set on for week and
proved to be infertile answer CAPT
tally for feeding the chickens. Fail
ing these, we should purchase duck
eggs in preference to using fresh
eggs from the hens, unless the lat
ter are exceptionally plentiful.
Only as much of the egg and bread
crumbs should be prepared as will
serve two or three times as it soon
loses it's freshness, and if sour will
cause securing. 1t should be
slightly moistened with milk, but
very slightly-just sufficient to
damp it. Much depends on the
way in which the bread crumbs are
prepared.
When the chicks are eight ornine
days old, they may have the egg
and bread crumbs discontinued, in
place of which can be given little
boiled rice, but not much of that,
and some oatmeal mixed with bar
ley or wheat meal, or, if it can be
obtained IN place of oatmeal, some
ground oats. When they are about
a fortnight old, a little crushed
buckwheat may be put down to
them, as they will not be able to
manage the whole corn until they
areolder.
From the time stated they may
be gradually accustomed to plain
er diet 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 the old
fowls. There should always be
mixed with the soft food a little
bone meal, which is regarded as an
invaluble 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
a month old, every three hours;
after that time five times a day,
and when two months old four
times a day. 1t is most desirable
that the times of feeding be as
equally divided as possible and be
strictly observed.
The first feed should be early in
the morning, say about an hour
after daybreak. This may neces-
state early rising on the part of
some one, but that grace is a most
essential one tor the chicken.raiser.
1t can scarcely be expected that
chickens will thrive properly which
have torun about hungry for hours
after they are astir. Some feeders
leave a little hemp seed over night,
so that the birds can help them
selves in the morning. This is I'M
doubtedIy better than nothing, bit
they will be more likely to do well
if they have warm feed first of
all.
Much contention has been raised
az to whether chickens should have
water OF not. AS to whether they
can be raised without liquid needs
no discussion. That has been proved
possible often, but what is possible
Is not always advisable, and /
think it is most desirable that the
chickens should have access to
Gater. They will only drink as
much Of it as their system requires.
One most important thing in the
feeding of chickens is a supply Of
green food. If they are being rear
ed on nice piece of juicy grass,
they can do without anything else,
but even then a supply Of fresh let
tnces will be to their benefit.
Should therenot be good grass, the
Icttuces become indispensable.
pnlNTc M cIuNIhc PpIIIT