The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-03-24
Care of Young Chickens.

Care of Young Chickens.
Country Gentleman.
Feeding the chicks is of equal Importance
with other things. Much contention has
come up in regard to when to feed and what
to feed for the first meal. The first meal
should be given them as soon as the chick
will eat. Let the chicks be the judge. You
cannot make them eat before they will nor
can you force them to eat more than they
want. If deprived of food when needed,
they will suffer for want of it. For these
reasons place the food where they can get
1T IL they want it, and let them alone. They
will know when to eat their first meal.
Small rolled oats, bread crumbs, or crum-
bled corn bread is best at first After this
use the hard-boiled egg mixed with bread
crumbs-once or twice a day for this, not
oftener. With this food alternate the rolled
oats, bread crumbs or broken corn bread
for the first week. After this give them oat-
meal, cracked wheat, very fine broken corn
and some millet seed. This mixture of
small broken grains and some corn bread
crumbled fine will grow them to size
where they can have whole wheat. huiled
oats ana broken corn. Nothing Is better
than this mixture of grains Hulled oats
are the oats taken out of the husks-same
as wheat is taken from the chaff- You can
now buy hulled oats the same as wheat or
cracked corn, and 1t is splendid for growing
the young chicks, as they thus get the ben
ent OF the cat and no trouble to grind up
the husk, which does them no good.
Corn bread should be made from corn
meal mixed with sweet sour milk which
ever you have. few eggs mixed with it.
and some baking powder to make it light.
Bake 1t as you would if you were going to
use it for yourself. When cold crumble fine
for the young chicks. Some make it with
eggs add greatly to the benefit derived
from its use. You can use all clear eggs
that are not fertile in this way, SKINNED or
sour milk Is very cheap and the baking
IS baked keep 1t in box for use as needed.
You can buy good chick foods that are a
mixture OF broken grain, peas, beans. grit
and charcoal, which will grow your chicks
TO size where they can eat the wheat,
hulled oats and broken corn, as above men,
toned These foods are splendidly bal
anced ration for growing chicks, and they
Will do well on them if nothing else is fed.
Mash feed II properly made and fed is of
untold value for growing chicks fast and
large. Considerable harm is done through
the improper use of mash or mixed food.
The benefit derived from using mashed food
is through the quick handling of it through
food is partly ground and prepared for the
gizzard to handle and pass into the system
for distribution to the upbuilding of the
whole-bone, muscle, fiber, blood and vital
ity must be provided for by the assimila-
ton of the food. Properly prepared foods
mashed or cooked, aid in the handling of
reason such foods are beneficiai: but poor
ly prepared, sloppy foods are injurious to
them.
Finely-ground corn, oats and barley.
mixed with wheat bran and middlings,
equal parts by measure, make a splendid
mash or mixed feed. With this may be
mixed some nice, clean, sweet meat scraps
just a little at first, and as the chickens
become used to 1t you may have one-fifth
of the whole mash of it If you like. This
amount will make the combs grow fast,
and 1t does not injure the market fowl. 1t
detracts, however, from the exhibition
fowl Meat has tendency at first to loosen
the bowels. and for this reason only little
should be given at first, and as they be-
come used to it more can be added In
preparing the mash. scald it with boiling
water or milk, mixed well. Have ii just
wet or moist enough to mix nicely. When
well mixed cover 1t with cloth and let Ii
stand to swell and cool Feed warm, but
never hot. When thus prepared 1t is part
ly cooked and cannot do them any harm;
but when mixed cold and fed to them raw
and in watery state 1t is liable TO do as
much harm as good. Much depends on the
preparation and mixing OF the food for
good results, and all should take pains to
AT first the chicks should be fed every
two hours. AS they grow older, feed them
| much as they will eat. If you feed them
mash, give them one full feed Of it each
| day. At night feed all the grain they will
eat; and feed It as late in the day as they
can see to eat it, and give them enough so
there will be some for morning as soon as
they get up. Grit green food and fires h
water they should have at all times; and
have these where they can help themselves
at will. Wet weather will not do them SO
much harm If there is dry place for
their feet and clean, dry coop for them
to go into out of the wet. AS soon as
| the chicks are large enough to shift for
| themselves they will do the best in colo
MES scattered about the place. The chicks
| will do better If the hen is kept contin-
ually in her coop. while they are allowed
| to have their freedom. When the hen runs
with the small chicks they walk too much
| for their good.
When growing the chicks for market feed
| them as much and as often as they will
| eat. and don't let the hen run them about
Feed them mash food twice a day instead
| OF once. Push them fast and sell them for
broIlers as soon as ready. Never sell your
early pullets-that is, the good ones AL
| ways select the best of these for yourself
| Never sell the best hens or pullets None
are too good for next winters LAYERS. Those
who always keep the best for themselves
| go forward: those who sell the best and
keep the leavings for themselves always
| go back Sell only the culls and those YOU
| do not need for yourself, and always keep
| the best. If this rule is followed Won will
have better and better stock each year for
| yourself; and in this way you will add
value to your flock Those who Kill or sell
their best early chicks part with the cream
OIL their mock. Remember this. and select
/ and keep the best at all times for yourself
| Another point is a uniform flock Select
| one kind of color of standardized fowls
| and stick to them. Nothing looks more
| attractive than one kind and color of fowls
| on farm If white fiocks are kept have
| them all white; If buff. have them ali buff.
| If barred. have them all barred Uniformity
| of color adds value to the entire flock.
| whether sold for market. for breeding or
| for exhibition fowls.
| Seeding Oats.