Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1914-04-10

may rightly be said to be one Of tn
most difficult problems that the aVerag
poultry breeder has to contend with.
Young chicks can be raised on al
kinds and combinations of feeds, anC
yet while proper feeding means much
after all, success is largely a matter OF
proper care. Almost every breeder OF
any consequence has his own peculiar
way of feeding the youngsters and eacf
will insist that his particular method Is
the best. Be that as it may, there are
many who persist in feeding Improperly
and as a result lose great numbers OF
chicks that could ordinarily be raised
under favorable conditions.
The common practice of feeding
cornmeal dough, although probably sue
cessful in many instances, Is not TO De
recommended as its use IS not likely to
secure the best or most rapid growth
and development of the chicks.
Do not make the mistake of feeding
the little downy fellows for at least 35.
or better yet. n hours after they are
| Matched. Nature has provided them
with sufficient food for their start 10
! life and il is conceded that man can
/ improve upon it.
The most satisfactory ration for young
chicks. for the first few meals, is grated
stale bread moistened with milk or
water, then squeezed dry. From the very
start place small chick grit or sharp
sand before the youngsters. This may
be put in pans or spread upon the floor
of the runs.
After the first few meals of bread,
mash-food similar to that furnished the
laying hens with the proportion Of beef
scrap reduced. of coursel may be given
morning and evening also some good
commercial chick food. Feed about five
times day on the start, rather sparngIy
As the chick food is composed of finely
cracked grains. it should be scattered
in the litter TO permit them TO scratch
for it; thus atfording exercise.
Green food should be supplied daily,
and for this purpose, lettuce, chopped
onion tops. green clover or grass are
excellent. When none of these are
available, manges or potatoes may be
used with good results.
Many chicks are carried off by the
commonly called White Diarrhea.
| IS ravaCes have proved the undolug of
many who have started into poultry
raising, actually forcing them to give
up in despair White Diarrhea is not,
strictly speaking, a disease, it is ,
symptom accompanying several dis
orders. In a general way, anything !
hat unfavorably effects the health or !
igor of the chicks will produce it.
Diseased breeding stock, incorrect
Methods of incubation or brooding, i'm
roper feeding. too much or too little
leat, or insufficient exercise may all be c
producers of this most dreaded disorder.
As prevention is always better than j
ure, one should look carefully to each
# the above symptoms and thus avoid
he necessity Of searching for a cure. a
From my own experience, have O
earned to use what / consider one of n
he best preventatives of white diarrhea r
hat | have ever seen. With the reason a
bic amount of attention given in an
fort to stick closely to the regulations t
or health and vigor, supply the young a
tiers with specially prepared drinking c
'ater. Boil all the water given them o
nd to each quart add eight drops of D
dedicated carbolic acid. Allow them o
othing else to drink and | venture to n
ly that white diarrhea will never make Il
5 appearance in your broods This Of
lOuld be done from the start and con- ci
nued until the birds are eight or ten al
eeks old. re-
Too much trouble, did you say? Not W
all Boil the water each night be- b,
re retiring. By morning it will be
vol, and you can then put the carboic
id in and give it to the chicks. Even if
were little bother. is it not far
liter to go to a little Inconvenience
an to loose so many chicks? Fellow bl
ader, cannot too strongly emphasize
is preventative. For the past five years NJ
have been using it, and strange as it w
ay appear, 1t Is nevertheless true that
have not lost single bird during that at
ne from white diarrhea. pi
1t is frequently possible to relieve the til
ouble, or check its spread, by feeding pl
lied rice or scalded milk-b these are -
thing as compared to the specially
epared water as stated above
Different methods must be adopted, Of
urse, for the raising of incubator chicks
d those Matched in natures way, with
e hen. When the latter method is used.
e does not have to do with supplying =
oper heat or brooding, other than fur
ihing a correctly constructed brood u
op, as these are looked after by Mother
ddy IN a most excellent manner.
The breeding stock, care of the eggs
fore and during incubation and proper
eding, however, must all be attended
The brood coop should be 2Jzx3 #.
d fl. high in front. 1t should have
hinged top or be put together in sec e
ms so as to afford easy access to the
-erior for cleaning purposes. Each | ]
lp should be provided with covered
rs in which the chicks may be kept
ring the first few weeks.
These runs protect the chickens from
aging away, from being caught in
rms and from their many other en-
lies. The little chicks will do equally
well at first in these runs as thev =
! on range and they are not near so
lch trouble to care for Then again
BOD coops with board floors are es-
,ially valuable where there is danger
gapes. If the runs are made with -
the presence of a board floor they L!
'uld be shifted frequently to new
ations. in
After the chicks are weaned from
7 hen and turned out on the range. -
Dper feeding may be adopted with
ID results. Do not lose sight of the
t that there is nothing to be gained I |
stinting young chicks in their feeding.
reduction in the proportion of food -