Milford chronicle., 1914-10-09

layers during the molting season and
while they are taking on their new win
ter coat of feathers. Those birds that
molt late usually run well into the win
ter before they again begin laying, and
as feed is usually high at this time, peO-
pie complain that chickens is a dead ex-
| pense.
They forget, however, the product of
/ the birds for the remainder of the year.
And as they do not keep any account of
/ the egg yield, the market sale of sur
| plus stock and the cost of food, they
quite naturally feel that the fowls are
expensive.
Chickens are profitable if properly
taken care of, and will yield at least
one dollar year per hen over and above
all expenses. When the chicken is first
hatched it costs but little to feed it, but
each day it lives, it costs more. for, as
its little body continues to grow it needs
more food to supply its wants and to
keep it growing and Ito keep it growing
continually spells success.
A baby chick should not be fed any
thing whatever for at least the first SO
hours of its life. This is equally true
of both the incubator chick or the one
hatched with old biddy herself. Nature
| having supplied the chicks stomach
with sufficient food to last this length
of time. When feeding is begun after
36 hours, the chick is not to be given as
much food as it can eat by any means.
The first week of its life the young
ster will eat but few bread crumbs
mixed with finely grated hard boiled
| egg. If it has not been Over-ted dur
ing the first week, or something else Is
not wrong with it, its appetite will IN
crease: and this must be met with
larger supply of food.
When the chicks have reached the age
of IL or II weeks they will eat most
| heartily. When they arrive at the age
of Is weeks they will require as much
food as a hen to keep the body up IN
growing condition and aid in their ma
turity for egg production.
The pullet which has been kept grow
ing should begin laying at the age OF
five or six months, unless they have not
had sufficient food to develop the body;
in which case they will not lay so soon.
There is a vast differences in the several
breeds. some naturally taking longer to
mature than others. As a rule the
Rocks. Reds. .Wyandottes, Leghorns and
Anconas will with the proper care and
food, lay at five months. "a,
Now let US look more into detail with
regards to raising the little chicks.
When the newly-hatched youngsters are
96 hours old provide them with some
1 fine sharp sand, or very small chlck
grit This should constitute its first
meal as it needs grit first. After two
~ thrae hours give a mixture of grated
stale bread crumbs into which mas Deeh
mixed hard boiled egg, also grated iihe'
and moisten the mixture with milk
usually use one egg to a cuptul OF
bread crumbs. Do not mix up large
quantities of this food as 1t Will turn
Sour and in this state is dangerous TO
feed Continue this feeding for one
week and then give baby-chiek teed
ALWAYS keeping fine grit before them.
When three weeks old, feed equal paris
of cracked corn and wheat and supply
sifted beef scraps once a week -.
When the birds are about elght OF
Ton weeks old. feed intermediate chich
God and when twelve weeks OF age
thew will be able to eat the regular
scratch feed or that which IS gwen to
the older hens. fo5 -.
onv meal but on the contrary feed
lightly and often, especially whlle lneg
ore very small. After three weeks III
addition to the grain food, give I@heiL men
access to a hopper in when mas ,i!l17. Deel
DIaced equal parts of bran, mluullusS
and meal. Chicks like this mixture aho
viii thrive wonderfully well on It,
If possible, let the chicks have acees.
m range in order that they may gs'
their portion of green and animal Ioou, ,
If this is impossible. then they mus mus.
he supplied with some form OF gree
food such as boiled potatoes or the green
tops of sprouted oats. IL Zoo
From the very start. the gram ieeC Zee
n, matter how small it has been cracheul
nbonId ~ MD he scattered in litter so as tI
,r;,,e the Youngsters exercise. One ol
the most importOnt matters to be con
s;Sered in the raising of young. chlch'
= to nrevent white diarrhea getting
hold on the birds, for this Is sure u
spell disaster. .o,,o,, f;ne
.l,;s disease is with the drinking 1ount
o;ns IN for they frequently and quite ma
e,,-oli,y ..I,.o consume much of this llqulu
White diarrhoea can be prevented am
II NV method is followed you VIII agIe'
with me. ,,,+;I tho chick
20 three months old, all drinking wa.e
@;ven oiv them should be prepared wiz
earbolic acid. Use the white KIND pGI
chased at the drug store, and put eign III
Jrons ro0s TO each quart of water. Alloy
tso t.o1, IN have no other water to GRIM
6ut f' this. and you need have no fear o
tbis awful disease; ,..;,,.,,, +bs
Now wish to show coneluslnvely una a
hens will yield at least pronnt Of Oh y
dollar oi each per year. 1t will take te 3
fOsias tTe average price of grain, Is to Z
cents' cen worth to bring the chicks Up
S' 10 weeks of age, when each blrd snog. ll.,i.
,Iaigb about two and a hall p9ullu,
Tbe Tee ecockerels should be killed ana SCI 81
70 = IN market, and if they are early hatenG
LII bring from so to 60 cents each. a.
Will IN cost about 45 cents to o5ihg u y
nnllet to six months Of age, ana as 80, 81
ebould then begin to lay, sne VIII s'a'
to repav for her rearing, ill 10
~ The average pure bred pullet WIN ~. %
IN one wear fiom 12O to l5O eggs pr