The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-04-21
Y ARD
CARE OF LITTLE CalCKGNs.

EaIly N the season, from the vsry
first Ct their existence, chicks need the
best care if you would have them grow
fast and escape disease. Whs the
weather is fine and warm there Is 70
better place for them than the grCu@d,
and free range should be allowed tbem,
but when the nights are cool and the
mornings damp and chill they have no
business out of their c0ops. II they are
allowed out they will surely contract
the gapes or colds and an early death
will result. If one can have a good,
roomy shed, with a dry dirt or gravel
floor and plenty of light, it makes one
Of the best possible places to start
broods Of youEg chicks during the cold,
change8ble and uncertain weather Cf
early spring. Where we have the
ground floor sheds in severe weather /
would use lot of hay or Chaff under
the coops to keep the little ones cut of
the cold. and it is batter than having
them on the floor. Let them run out
and in from the coop at will, just so
they can get out doors. In case your
shed is an open one on one or more
sides, you can use the one inch wire
mesh, about two feet wide, along the
opening to keep them in. When chicks
are not allowed their full liberty they
should have their wants as fully sup
piled as possible by giving them sand
in abundance and plenty Of green feed
in the shape ofyoung and teuder grass.
Give them grit the first thing, before q
bit Of other food. Il is astonishing TO
see how much they will take. PuIup
a piece Of sod and place it near them
ard you will be surprised to see how
they 60 for it. Lo5tUce is excellent il
not too expensive, or c4bbag9 chopped
very fac and thrown to them just as
they need it. Be careful not to over
feed; that is give too much at O time.
Feed little and often, six or eight times
a day for the first week or two, ard
less frequently as they grow older, al
ways bearing in mind that they relish
a variety Just as much as we do, and
don't feed one thing over and over just
because we think it heaIthful. Milk in
almost any form after the first week
we think is very beneficial, either as
drink or to mix the feed N. Take corn
meal and oat meal, half and half, and
mix in sour milk or buttcrmilk and q
little soda, and make cake of it and
bake in the oven until well done, then
soak in sweet milk. This we think is
excellent. A little millet seed thrown
in to them every day will be enj 7yed,
and it IS very convenient fer them to
eat whole. We do not feed them much
until they are three weeks old and then
not much at a time. AS they get older
do not keep tn m confined tCO much.
They want room, III d room they must
have to reach the very best results, AID
the older they get the more grain they
need, wheat and corn (cracked) A
chicken half I'D will grow just about
half. Any one can hatch chickens, but
to raise them successfully is the next
question. Meat in some form should
not be forgotten, whether it be table
scraps CT beef lungs from the butchers,
either Of which will answer the pur-
pose in the absonc5 Of insects, which
they can fad in abundance later il
the season. Everything Of scraps left |
from the table is the very best for |
young chicks-bread, oaC meal, rice,
etc.-save all Of il for th9m.
The farmer feeds Is all, yet he gets
nothing in return. To the city folk he |
is nothing but a hay or a green |
country man. These are the thanks he |