Norwich bulletin., 1918-06-26
CARING FOR GROWING CHICKENS
Some Excellent Advice For The Poul-
 try Raisers From An Expert.

try Raisers From An Expert. q After the incubation season is over -and the most exacting part of the Ebrooding period is past. the poultry sman turns his attention to garden sand farm crops with the result that athe growing stock are often neglected. ITO be sure chicks well feathered out swili shift for themselves and stand considerable hardships, but it is not zgood practice to allow them to do it. sAll classes of live stock make cheap est gains while they are young and spoultry are no exception. Further smore, winter egg production depends anot only on the size and maturity Of sthe bullets, but also on the amount -of reserve energy which has been -stored up during the growing season. Bullets cannot be fitted for winter segg production and started off on a .winning race with a short and nasty -preparation. The feed and care (which brings best winter production must begin when the chicks are quite -small and be continued throughout zthe season.
 z Because of the egg yolk which the chick absorbs into it's body cavity Just before coming out of the shell, it is generally conceded that feed should
 
 first few days. This does not hold true, however, during the growing season. Healthy appetites and heavy consumption mean vigorous chicks and good winter production. A growing chick will always make good use Of all feed eaten. The gain per pound of feed will usually increase with the amount of feed consumed by chicks of any age.
 af eIy i1Iy is very important, not only for the food value which it contains, but also for the fact that it enables the chicks to eat and digest a larger amount of other feeds. If skim milk is not available, semi i-solid buttermilk or some of the milk powders make a very satisfactory substitute.
 Dry mash should be kept before the chicks at all times in hoppers that twill provide a chance for all to get at the feed and allow no opportunity for vast. In normal times. a mash Gomposed of equal parts of wheat bran, flour, middlings, ground oats eornmeal and beef scraps would be Considered best. Just at present, bran and middlings are practically off the market Wheat mixed feed is, per haps, the best substitute, ground oats Stand next in value, with barley feed as a last resort The objection tc barley feed is that it carries an ex- cess of fibre and very little food value. It should be used only to add bulk. and then only in shall quan- fities. Velvet bean meal is a prom fsing substitute. but it has been tried out only very little as yet. An eco nomical dry mash of available grains may be made up of ground oats, -0( lbs, cornmeal or hominy, 100 lbs; oil. meal, 25 lbs; gluten, 50 lbs; an( beef scrap, 50 lbs. The beef scraI may be made up of ground oats, 10( where milk is available. A scratcI grain to go with this mash may bt equal parts of corn and oats It i. worth while to insist on forty tt forty-two pounds of oats. The scratcl feed should be fed very sparingl! morning and noon, with a more lib eral feeding at night. The proportion of grain and mash eaten should be O equal parts by weight. Green food is, of course, always necessary. It i best furnished in a large grass TUT but succulent crops such as dwar Essex rape and swiss chard may b used as substitutes. Fresh wate should always be kept before tn birds, and they will appreciate havin t changed twice or three times day.
 Shady runs are very important fo good growth during the hot summe months. There is no more pleasan sight for the poultryman than a To af half grown chickens wallowing i the cool earth under some low-hang ing fruit trees or bushes on a ho July day. If trees or bushesA are no available temporary shelter may b constructed from boards, burlap 0 frees from the forest If colony with board floors are used, they ma be set upon blocks so as to provide Shady retreat underneath. A cor field provides good shade and ex cellent range for growing chicks. A Of the corn they eat CT destroy will b well repaid for in growth Mash hor pers, sour milk dishes and wate dishes should be placed outside tn Apuse, preferably in the cool, shad places where the chicks seek sfelte during the heat Of the day.
 1Cool, airy roasting houses are r less important than shady places dul Ing hot days and nights. Roostir houses must be larger, well ventilate and free from draughts. Freedol from drauShts can usually be obtaine by having more openings rather tha less. low apple tree is perhs the ideal roasting place for growth SAOck, put the dlfnculty comes whe the birds must be changed to wint, quarters. The ideal roasting hou, should be well ventilated as the app ttee. Slow feathering and loss of al petite are often due to crowding ar heating at night. When chicks con out of an overloaded house in u early morning, they are very apt
 catch cold from the cold and dam ness. The best of feed and care du ing the day cannot overcome the dan age caused by crowded houses
 night.
 s7The roasting houses should be co, stantly watched for the appearance
 red mites. They creep in quietly al multiply rapidly, sometimes becomil very troublesome to the chicks befo they are noticed. A thorough spra.