Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-23

The accompanying Illustration shows
White China Geese, popular variety.
After the chicks have been properly in
cubated from good, strong, vigorous stock,
or even hen-hatched, comes the real battle
for success in poultry raising. If you can
not produce chicks that live and make
good growth each and every year, your
success in the poultry industry will be
short-liVed.
Generally speaking. there is no one "best
way to raise chickens that is suited to
all persons and all places 1t is largely
n matter of localty--What is good for one
place is not always as well adapted to
another although there are certain funda-
mentals that will hold good everywhere.
With hen-hatched chicks. where the
chicks are allowed to run with the hen,
more liberty can he takcn than with
chicks artificialy Matched and reared
The average hen is not overburdcncd with
sense from a human point of view. and it
seems that the chicks Matched and reared
by her can almost digest carpet tacks
If they do not die of ovcrcXcrciSc they will
scldmon fall victims to anything. Broodcr
chicks require greater care in feeding and
though there are several systems of feed
Ing, there are some foods and mixtures
That are coming into general use, due to
their success.
READY-MADE FOODS THE BEST.
That commercial chick feeds. the high
grade kind have done more than any
thing else to solve the feeding question,
both as to ease and economy. is undoubt
ed While the successful poultry raiser
lean usually secure results i'm feeding
grown fowls b. mixtures of his own, there
are very few who will attempt to mix
their own chick feeds after obtaining one
pr the high-grade chick feeds now on the
market.
The chief reason for this fact lies in
he difficulty OF obtaining good seeds and
good grains in small quantities, and this
especially so in the East. 1t is not a
question of price; the grains are not to
be obtained and this is a handicap to
hose wishing to mix their own feeds
The large feed dealers have put together
mixtures that are cleaner, sweeter and
heaper than the same ingredients could
be mixed by the individual. and they are
great deal better balanced than they
could be if mixed by a beginner for, as
rule, these feeds are based on the adj
ice of successful poultry raisers. This
as done much to make poultry growing
asier and more profitable than formerly
FEEDS FOR LITTLE CHICKS.
After the chicks are hatched they need
ho food for at least 36 hours. One of the
asst processes in the period of incubation
the absorption of the Yolk of the egg,
nd this furnishes them with food ready
placed until they are in condition to take
he first food man prepares for them.
Feeding before they are ready and hum
Ery is harmful. and the feeding of chicks
90 soon has been the cause of many
eaths, In fact. for the first few days
roper heat in the hrooders and good pure
ir are more essential than any feed, no
natter how good it is
When chicks are 'hen-hatched" first
eed the hen whole corn-the larger grains
he hen can eat and the chicks cannot. If
commercial feeds are used, follow direc-
ions, which differ according to the mix
IRE of the feeds. Some feed successfully
" having food before the chicks at all
ines as soon as they are old enough.
others follow the rule of feeding little and
ften This, of course, applies to the
mall grains. for the dry food can he
laced before them after the third or
ourth day with good results; of course
he mixture of the dry mash is to be con-
idcred.
For the first feed nothing has given
etter results than rolled oats, but be
ure that they are not damaged. This,
rumblcd in the hands and scattered on
be board or in the chan is one Of the
nain feeds for a week. After a few days,
good commercial chick feed, containing
little cracked corn as one can find in
ne different brands, is fed four or five
mes during the day. No chick feed
hould contain over 80 per cent. of corn,
ct many do contain more, because corn
one Of the cheap grains and the buying
ublc does not care to pay a high price
pr chicks feeds Nevertheless the feeding
large quantities of corn to chicks is not
he best thing to promote the growth of
one and muscle.
Milk in any form Is one of the best
developers and can be fed with safety
rom the fourth day on; in fact the
ksults of feeding skim or whole milk
~ .he first month In connection with
nc dry mash and grains has given good
hsults When purchasing good feeds at
hat many would consider a high price
should be remembered that chicks do
bit consume a great quantity up to three
ecks. Then they are past the danger
ark and the larger grains, and in pro-
brtion cheaper feeds, can he given them
But every precaution should be taken
nd great care exercised during the first
bree weeks, which is the period of either
aking or breaking the future usefulness
the flock The dry mash can be start
by feeding bran for the first week, and
tier this period the mixture can be made
OF 200 bran, 100 middlings, 100 good