The Marshall republican., 1913-05-02
rEEpiNd THE BABY cHIcKs

Th.usands, yes, millions OF baby
chickens die on Missouri farms and
in Missouri poultry yards each sea-
son. As a result, the loss In eggs and
labor in Matching is tremendous.
Much OF this IL due to improper
methods OF feeding and Fan be avoid
ed. The newly hatched chick is a
very tender and frail little creature
lust after having picked his way from
the she'll. The comfort OF the chicks,
and the feed given them are the two
main things which will mean your
success or failure. and these are the
two things which require your most
careful consideration at this time.
See that they are comfortable. not
to the extent that you nurse them.
but they must be kept reasonably
warm, dry and active.
Some OF the mistakes in feeding
are those of feeding too soon after
being hatched, feeding too freely.
sloppy food. feeding too much corn,
feeding commercial grit at the start
instead OF sand. feeding other ingredi-
ents, which should not be used at the
very beginning. These and similar
mistakes tend to irritate the diges-
tive organs and intestinal tract.
such practices often result In the
chicks having diarrhea. The chicks
become dumpish. get out Of condi-
ton aud die rapidly.
During the past two years. we
have tried out several methods OF
starting baby chicks. n you are trou-
bled with diarrhea OF any kind. or
lack OF vitality. or slow growth. then
try the following plan. II has been
one OF the most successful plans OF
feed t7hy en- which We Na-o
eve
We sprinkle a li,tie clover chat or
fine cut straw or clean litter. free
from must and mold. over the floor
OF the brooder or hover before the
chicks are place In Il. We provide q
small fountain OF pure water. The
chicks are not fed for f%orty-eight
hours or more after they are hatched.
Don't feed too soon. Give the chicks
time to assimllate the yolk of the
egg. which contains enough food to
last them several days.
Begin by feeding a mixture OF two
thirds rolled oats and one-thlrd
wheat bran mixed with q small
amount OF charcoal. This is fed on n
clean board or paper four or five
times a day and only a small quantity
Ted at n time. We remove the feed
ing board after the chicks are thro-
Ugh eating. Clean sand In giving
about the time the first feed IN given
and no grit Is given before. We think
sand Is better to start chicks with
than commercial grit, II II can be se-
cured. and II not. then use fine COM
merclal grit very sparingly until
chicks are at least ten days old. ATT
er the chicks are n week old. we be-
kin TO add n little commercial chick
feed to the above mixture and grad
ually increase this until the rolled
oats and bran are eliminated from
the first or grain feed. At this age,
we also begin to feed a dry mash.
the mash being made by mixing the
following:
One part Wheat Bran. One part
Corn Meal, one part shorts, one-half
part Alfalfa Meal, one-third pari
Rolled Goats or Oatmeal,
We add one-half pound OF very
fine salt 10 each 100 pound OF the
above mixture. and also add a hand
full of fine charcoal. After the chicks
are two weeks old. W. begin TO add
q small quantity OF dry beef scraps
to the mash mixture. II the chicks
are oil free range ana get plenty OF
bugs and worms, they do not need
the beef scraps. After the chicks IRE
a week old. the grain mixture shoula
he thrown into a fine clean litter oil
worked into fresh soil so the chicks
viii be compelled to exercise. II con.
fined to a hoard OF concrete floor
keep a shovel or several shovels full
or clean soil on a portion of the
brooder or hover floor so the chicks
H
may scratch in this. II the chicks car
= be raised at an, they will unques
t.onably do well on the above feed.
Some farmer may say, 81 cannot
afford to buy the commercial chicl
food nor the rolled oath" We wish
to say that you can well afford Il
buy ANYTHING for the first few day
feeding II II will insure you a greater
number OF strong chicks and lesser