The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-08-24

Crumbs of dry or toasted bread make
good feed for the first few days. They
NAV be moistened with little milk
or fed dry. Chicks will do better II
most of their food is given In dry
form. One of the most common mis-
takes made in feeding chickens Is In
giving too much They should never
be fed more soft food than they will
eat up clean in fifteen or twenty min
utes. Dry grain scattered in straw or
cut clover will, of course, last longer.
Plenty of pure water, grit and char
coal should be provided. Any scheme
that Will compel the chicks to exert
themselves in getting at their food will
be beneficial to their health. The less
they are permitted to bolt their food
the less liable to digestive troubles
will they become.
The breadcrumbs may continue to
form a considerable part Of the ration
for two or three weeks. Hard boiled
eggs chopped fine and mixed with the
crumbs are good if not fed in too
large amounts. Oatmeal is one of the
best grain foods, but is too expensive
to feed extensively. Crushed corn or
wheat is a good feed to scatter In the
litter. By the time the chicks are
three weeks old grain can replace the
breadcrumbs entirely. About a week
later a little beef scrap can be added
to the ration. Skimmilk can be given
from the time they are a week old.
The best way to feed skimmilk is to
let it sour until it becomes curdy. Then
pour off the whey and feed the curd
fresh or dried 1t is greatly liked by
chicks in either form. The chicks
should be fed three times a day and
oftener if they are not allowed to run
out. AS they grow older the oats may
be cut down in amount and the cheap
er grains fed more literally.
Feeding For Egg Production.
If winter eggs are desired it is i'm
portant that the hens and pullets be
fed in such way as to stimulate egg
production. The animal food part Of
the ration, which is very important.
may consist of either beef scrap or
dried curd. This should be put In a
self feeding hopper, where the hen
can get to it at all times. Hoppers con
tanning charcoal. grit and oyster shells
should also be provided and kept full.
Fresh water is important and should
be supplied plentifully. Automatic
fountains are the best means of water
ing when the weather is not too Geld.
In cold weather water should be given
in troughs at least twice day. This
matter of giving laying fowls a proper
amount of water is not as well attend
ed to as it should be.
The breakfast for the laying hens
may consist of shelled corn scattered
in the litter in the scratching shed
This will keep the hens scratching al
the forenoon and will give them the
exercise which they need to keep
healthy and in laying condition. A.
noon a dry feed of mixed oats and
wheat can be scattered in the straw.
This keeps the hens scratching two or
three hours longer. The main feed OF
the day is given at night in the form
of a mash. A mash consisting of one
part bran or cut clover or alfalfa, one
part ground corn. one part ground oatS
and one part middlings is very good
although there are many other mix
lures that can be used. In cold wealth
err the mash should be fed warm. After
eating the mash the hens will go tc
roost warm and comfortable and with
full crops conditions which favor q
high egg yield.
In feeding laying hens the aim
should be to give all they will eat up
clean. In addition to the rations given
some Of the green feeds mentioned
should be fed if they can be obtained
In the summer the hens have free
range and can get plenty Of green food
and insects. This. together with the
lower price of eggs, makes it unprofit.