The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-03-07
FEEDING CHICKS AND GROWING
o.
{By Lloyd MiShler.


We have found the best method of
feeding to be what is termed hopper
eeding. Practically all the feed is in
the dry form. For small chicks up
to eight weeks old we have never
found anything which will put on
more growth than the high-class
grades Of commercial chick feeds.
For the first few days I sprinkle the
smallest sizes Of this feed thickly
where the young chicks are, SO that
every time they pick they get a grain.
AS soon as they begin to come outside
the coop. which is in two or three days.
all the feed is placed in the hoppers
made on the same general principle
as our larger ones.
Many neglect to furnish
their chicks with meat Q This is
essential if wants to get the prop
err amount of growth. 1t is best sup
piled in the form of Def scraps. Don't
get a cheap scrap. The best balances
the ration SO that you will get the best
possible benefit from the grain feeds.
We place this in the hopper SO the
chicks can help themselves. They do
not eat more than they will need The
feed hoppers should not be allowed to
get wet, or the feed is liable to spoil
Good hopers and a little care will pre-
vent this. The feed is always clean
Riiu IA1CIC ~ ACCo 1Cduy IC
the chick is hungry How much bet
ter han for the chicks to go around
half starved for several hours and
then when feed is finally thrown out
to them they will gorge themselves.
We have often been able to get from
the baker a lot Of stale bread (not
moldy). This bread usually sells at
half price or less and is about as cheap
as the commercial chick feeds, pound
for no1nd This broal sc cooJyol -,
milk and then squeezed out dry and
fed to the chicks every day Or " as
, and extra feed. 1t is one of the best
growers one can get.
1t does not pay to feed cheap feeds
or sparingly if one wants to make a
good profit out of their poultry. II is
a mistake to think that poultry can
pick up it's own living during the early
spring months unless one has a very
small drove. If they have feed to go
to when they fail to find plenty by for
aging they will gain IN size much
faster.
AS the chick grows in size the
larger size of chick feed is used
Along about harvest time we begin to
place wheat, whole Or cracked. in one
section Of the hopper; in another,
racked corn; in other sections beef
scraps, oy~ster-sheils. charcoal chick
size), and a dry mash composed of
equal parts of bran, middIings and
ground oats.
Oats is one of the best feeds one can
give chicks for growth, but it is hard
to get in suitable form for feeding to
poultry. One of the best ethod &c
sprout it. A pail Of oats is covered
with water and above to soak about
twenty hours In winter we use water
which is heated and Just cool enough
that you can bear your hand in it. m
summe cold water. After soaking the
oats are poured oat into trays two feet
wide n three feet long and two
inches deep The bottoms of these
Trays are made OF galvanized one
fo~urth-ineh mesh wire screen. We
start a bucket-ful of the oats every day
piing the trays on top of each other
until We have four or five.
"eah~ hffe We must thoroughly stir
the oats in each tray every fav and