A POINT IN FEEDING CHICKENS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 712, 14 October 1914, Page 7

A POINT IN FEEDING CHICKENS.

When the ' dry-feeding system was introduced a few years ago it 1 was thought advantageous to. continue feeding- upon nothing but grass until the birds attained maturity. Further experimenting has proved, however, that this is not the case, and that it is a good plan, when the chickens are a month old, to supply two meals a day of soft food. Without the addition of mash to the diet it is found that the process of feathering is retarded, arid that the birds do not ultimately attain such a size. It is also found that the crops remain quite small, making such birds very unpopular. There ' g.re several suitable foods that may be used as mash, but whatever is employed should be in a crumbly-moist condition, and not sloppy. It must be well swollen out, and yet fairly dry, otherwise bowel trouble invariably follows. One of tne specially cooked foods answers well, and these have the advantage of being" .very easily and quickly prepared. An occasional feed of ground oats, barley meal, arid middlings, moistened with skim-milk or warm water, gives relief from monotony and tempts the appetite. Boiled rice is also of service as an occasional meal, but it is imperative that each particle be thoroughly swollen out, otherwise it .will do more harm than good.