Chick's Feeding Extraordinary.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXVIII, Issue 4290, 4 January 1910, Page 2

Chick's Feeding Extraordinary.

A quite remarkable result is reported from a chick feeding experiment in America, it was conducted by the Cyphers Incubator people. A batch in' 120 incubator chickens were divided into two lots, sixty being in each. One lot was fed in the ordinary way, and the other on a remakably novel system. When four days old this lot was put into a brooder, Sfc by sft, attached to which was a little room sft by Bft, the floor of which was covered with lucerne litter loin deep. The estimated quantity of feed required for three weeks was, weighed out, and this was mixed with tiie litter. No farther attention was given for three weeks, clean water and grit being, of course, always available, the supply of these being automatically provided. At the end of three weeks a further quantity of feed was mixed in with tiie litter to last a period of two weeks. The chickens were reared until six months old in this manner, being fed throughout the entire period only six times. For the six months they ate 401b less food than* Che lot fed in the ordinary way; there were fewer deaths, and altopother they were in better condition*, the total weight of the birds being appreciably greater than the weight of the lot fed under ordinary conditions. This result -i'f the experiment can be taken as collusive— is an alto getuer remarkacie demonstration. It means an enormous reduction in the cost of rearing chickens, while it means apparently healthier and more vigorous stock. It would be distinctly valuable to have the test repeated cn one of the State poultry plants of this country. Already one or> two private breeders have announced their intention of trying the idea, but it would be of greater benefit to have such an experiment carefully conducted on a Government station and a full official report issued on the test and its result.