The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1910-10-12
SUCCESS IN LITTLE CHICKS
Proper Feeding is the Great Secret
Half Dozen Methods, Any One
Of Which lie Good.
fBy MILLER puRv1sl

Do not allow anyone to convince
you that there is only one way to rear
little chicks successfully. Some meth,
DDS may be better than others but the
fact is that there are half a dozen
methods, any one of which Is as good
as many of the others
Several times have known some
young and enthusiastic fancier to set
out to show that feeding dry feed
was better or worse than feeding
moistened feed. In not a single in.
stance has the trial proved anything,
was called upon to decide which
Of two tlocks Of chicks were the best,
after one of them had been brought
up on moistened feed and the other
en- dry feed exclusively. and l found
It impossible to detect any difference
worth mentioning. In point Of econo.
my there does not seem to be any
difference
The result in my case has been that
| feed dry feed all the time because
It is easiest to do So When chicks
are fed dry feed there is no mussy
work Of mixing mashes nor is there
any fermented feed left over
The whole secret Of rearing chicks
successfully, as far as feeding is con-
corned, seems to be to see that they
are kept full all the time. 4
reared flock OF chicks last sum
mer on wheat and rolled barley ex-
clusiyely. The only feed beside these
two grains they got was come green
mustard tops and sprouted wheat, as
green feed was exceedingly scarce.
The mustard tops grew up along an
irrigation ditch and we're fed to the
chicks. No beef scraps, no milk, Just
wheat and barley, Most Of the time
the chicks had sprouted wheat to dig
for. Wheat was scattered thickly, Gov
cred lightly and the soil kept damp.
To prevent the chicks from getting It
too soon. and to prevent too rapid
evaporation, the bed was covered with
burlap sacks until the wheat began
to throw up green sprouts.
Then the chicks were turned on
and they would eat nothing else as
long as they could have this wheat.
In the course Of termination the
starch In the wheat Is changed to su-
gar OF sort which chicks like.
This process also partially digests
the starch. making It easily digestible
by the chicks.
| think sprouted wheat. barley or
oats make about the best combina.
ton Of green feed and grain that the
poultryman can use and they thrive
beautifully on II.
Preferably, feed cracked corn and
cracked wheat for the first two weeks
At two weeks Of age begin to feed
good quality OF dried beef scrap
and always keep grit. charcoal and
clean water where the chicks can
help themselves,
II any one tries 70 argue Win me
that ground grains. moistened enough
to make a thick dough, is better than
cracked grains, fed dry, do not ar
que the case. because do not believe
1t is worth while.
on principle. I feed sound and
sweet grain, because would not want
to eat musty feed myself The chicks
that run at large around farm yard
pick up lot Of grain In the course
Of the year that Is anything but
sound and sweet but haven't noticed
that this interferes with their health
Feed often and feed plenty and the
chicks viii do the rest
An average Of one pound Of grain
week viii supply a chick for the
arst ten weeks Of It's life.