Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-04-03

bread crumbs moistened with milk or a
mixture of bread crumbs and hard
, boiled eggs; not grain feed. There is
objection to placing water before
the chicks as soon as they are placed in
| the brooder. In fact it. is best to give
them across to water, preferably water
with the chill taken off, if the weather
is cold.
MILK HAS MANY VIRTUES
| Many breeders are having excellent
results by feeding milk and no water the
| hrst few days. In fact; it is a good
| plan to give the brood milk as soon as
| the chicks are placed in the brooder.
Milk is more than a food and more than
| a liquid for auenching thirst. 1t con-
tains Tactic acid, which tends to prevent
and correct white diarrhea and kindred
| bowel troubles
| Sour milk should be fed Just as it he
gins to thicken and before 1t separates.
as the chicks like it better in that con-
| diton. 1t should be placed before the
chicks in shallow pans or fountains, so
designed that the little fellows cannot
wade in it. or contaminate 1t. Any sort
of milk is useful. but it is best to give
only one sort, rather than change from
| fresh milk TO sour milk. and so on.
As a rule. chicks learn to eat as soon
| as they can stand. The idea seems to
come TO them as nstinctively walk
\ Ing. In the case Of drinking it is some
times necessary to teach them or at
least to point out the presence OF milk
or water. This is easily done by dip
ping the beaks of two or three chicks
in the liquid. They will catch on i'm
mediately.. whereupon the rest of the
flock will quickly initiate them.
| Chicks require. a great deal of food
| in relation to their size; they must con-
| sumo large quantities in order to make
the rapid development expected of them;
but do not mistake this fact to mean
| that the brooder operator should simply
pile the food in front Of the chicks. On
the contrary. they must be fed in a par
| ticularly moderate manner.
Feed little but often Is the slogan to be
adopted in the brooder. Five feelings
| day for the first week. then four feed
ings for the second week and three feed
ngs after that Is about right Some
such schedule Is especially important
with focks which confined indoors
early in the spring or leg weakness is
likely to result,
/ Chicks on free range are not suscepti-
BILE to this ailment, hence there is greater
attitude with outdoor broods. Leg weak
ness comes from excessive feeding of
highly concentrated feeds, without suffi-
cient exercise and greenstuffs. The bod
les Of the chicks become too heavy for
the strength Of the muscles and bones
Of the legs. consequently the chicks are
unable to stand or walk. They present
more or less helpless. pitiable apL/ar-
ance and are apt to be trampled ~and
killed by the rest of the flock
FEED MIXTURES AND RATIONS
The following are excellent feeds fol
newly Matched chicks: Stale bread
crumbs. moistened with milk; bread
crumbs mixed with hard-boied eggs
which have been chopped fine, shells in
, cluded johnny cake or pinhead oat-
meal. Foods moistencd with milk are
very appetizing, but they must be fec
in a crumbly state. never in sloppy
condition. In the case Of bread crumbs
, good plan is to moisten them witt
, milk and then squeeze out the greater
part Of the liquid. In the crumbs ant
egg mixture the egg will provide enough
moisture to make the food of the RICH
/, consistency. All such mixtures should
be fed fresh sweet. Do not mix up larg,
;, quantities and then allow them to stant
round until they turn bad. 1t is ais,
j, important to sprinkle such mixtures will
fine grit. to provide the necessary grind
ing material for the chicks gIzzard I,
aid digestion.
Place moist feeds before the chicks 1,
$ shallow pans, on clean boards, or OF
= sheets OF heavy Manila paper, never II
s the litter, because the litter which hold
It the chicks droppings may contamihat,
the food. Spread the mixture out so tina
n all the chicks can eat freely; give then
) what they will clean up In about 10 min
) utes, then remove the receptacles unit
Il the next feeding. ,As previously suggest
5. ed. give them about five feelings a day
o Continue this soft food for three o
L four days, then for two feelings sub
h stitute a scratch grain mixture of flnel
d broken particles, consisting of crack e,
:, wheat finely cracked corn and huIle
y oats In equal parts, to which may b.
k added about Ave per cent Of cracke
d peas. or broken rice and two per cen,
y of milfet, rape seed, milo maize or kafir
e Any reliable brand of ready mixed fee
1t will do. and unless the poultry keepe
d needs very large quantities it is doubt
full IL it. Will pay to compound his ow
e chick feed.
IS At the same time dry mash shout
10 be started. and gradually made to TAX
IL the place OF the remaining soft foo
l. feedings, In other words. at the begin
y ming Of the second. week the schedul
~ should consist OF two feelings of scratc
sc grains, and two feelings Of dry mash
1t Only as much of the grain mixtur
m should be given az the chicks will scratc
10 out OF the litter In Is minutes. II tn
Id chicks have outdoor freedom. the dr.
mash may be kept before them all tn
I'd time, In shallow troughs or hopper,
" IL they are confined to the brooder tn
De mash should be left before them &c
i" about 10 minutes at each feeding.
o. foll (or -As,x aul.