Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1915)
HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION Profitable Business of Poultry Raising in America Proper breeding, hutching mid brooding of chicks are most im portant, but the best flock ever produced may be ruined by un intelligent feeding during the first mouth. What, how and when to feed baby chicks is the theme of Uie following timely and practical contribution. WHEN a chick emerges from the shell it is an Insignificant lit mmm tie creature, weak and help less, of little vtlue. But when we remember that the little chicks are our future laying or market birds, that their future usefulness Is large ly determined by the care they re ceive in early life, we realize how important it is that they be properly fed and managed to the end that they may be able to do their best work for ns at maturity. It pays to "fuss" with the chicks. The old adage "as the twig is bent the tree Is inclined" applies with great force here. We can give the youngsters a husky start which means profitable maturity, or we can stunt them and thus prevent them from ever being of much accouut. The feeds and feeding methods used during the brooding period are most important. It is not necessary for the chick-grower to possess a pro found knowledge of chemistry in or der to successfully mix his chick ra tion, but he Bhould use a reasonablo amount of common sense, study the problem and adopt those tested meth ods which best fit into his general plan of poultry plant management. The Old-Time Plan. Some one may say that it is pos sible to raise mighty good chicks on absurdly simple rations and point to the mixture of cornmeal and water which Is so commonly used as the staple chick food in the country dis tricts. But circumstances alter cases. On the general farm where such feeding methods are most in vogue, the chicks are usually hatched rather late in the Spring after insect life has become abundant and there is plenty of fresh, tender green stuff. As a rule the chicks are cared for by hens and are given their liberty, wan dering at will about the farm build ings and grounds, finding a great amount of food of many kinds. Un der such conditions it Is possible to raise very good chicks on cornmeal "dough." The writer has done this. But when chicks are reared in large numbers, especially where the yarding system Is used, they are pre vented from finding much food and the attendant must supply virtually everything they need. It. there is any fafluro here, if the ration is Incom plete or one-sided, proper growth ana even development will hardly follow. Growing chicks need plenty of rood, since scanty feeding is respon sible for slow growth. Their ration bhould Include grains In variety, mineral matter, animal food and sua culent greens. Due regard should be given the proper proportions of each class of ingredients, the Idea being to supply materials for building mus. cle, bone and feathers. Further, the ration should be palatable and in such physical form that the young sters can eat It readily and digest It quickly and thoroughly. Each ot the&e points has a decided bearing upon results. Among the grains, the most valu able are corn, wheat and oats, to gether with their by-products, as bran, middlings, gluten, etc. Millet peas, rice, kafir corn and other grains are also useful to a certain etxent. Bone in some form, green cut, granulated or finely ground, fur nishes the material for building the skeleton. Finely crushed oyster shell is also commonly used, and grit Is a necessity. Beef scrap, fish scrap, moat meal blood meal, granulated milk and skim milk are all .useful animal foods. In some sections where hearts and HverB of meat animals are avail able at low prices, these are exten slvely used, being thoroughly boiled and chopped before feeding. The greens are fed primarily for their tonic effect upon the digestive system, as they contain but eompa,:a lively small amounts of nutrientf. Fresh green (trass or clover, l?t turc, rape, sprouted wheat or fiats are all excellent. These .bould be cut Into short lengths and fed before becoming wilted or heated. Cracked and Ground Grains. Some few poultrymen feed the grain portion of the ration in the whole and cracked forms exclusively, but the accepted practice is to sup ply a part of it in a mixture ot meals and by-products. This mash mix ture may be given either dry or moist. In many cases it is baked in "johnny cakes," which are crumbled and fed dry or dampened with water or milk. It is an acknowledged fact that more rapid growth can be secured through the use of the moist mash, but there is greater danger of bring ing on digestive disturbances than when the dry mash system of feed ing is used. Broiler growers who force their chicks and sell them at an early age, use the moist mash quite generally, but in the case of those who carry their birds to ma turity the dry mash system is gener ally preferred. . Either will prove en tirely satisfactory if properly used. Fortunately, for the convenience of poultry producers, there are a number of very satisfactory proprie tary chick feeds on the market. These include cracked grain mix tures, mash mixtures and growing feeds. The former may be had for both baby chicks and those which are partially grown, the difference being in the degree of fineness. in many cases these feeds can be purchased at a lower cost than sim ilar home-mixed feeds of the same kind can be made, especially where small quantities are used. When buying the poultryman should not be influenced solely by price. Baby chicks eat so little that a few cents' difference on each bag of feed is of trifling moment. Quality should be the first consideration at all times. Avoid those feeds which contain heated or moldy grain, weed seeds and other trash, or are loaded with grit. Use such as are properly screened and contain a variety of clean, sound, swett grains. Satisfactory Chick Rations. To those who wish to prepare their chick feeds the following mixtures may be recommended. These have all been thoroughly tested and have given very general satisfaction: Ration Xo. 1. Scratch grain (finely cracked and sifted) Pounds. Cracked wheat lj Cracked corn 15 Pinhead oats 1 Cracked peas 3 Broken rice ... . 3 Millet seed 3 Mash mixture (finely ground, thor oughly mixed) rounds. Cornmeal , 10 Wheat bran 20 Wheat middlings 10 Ground oats, sifted 10 Gluten feed 5 Fine beef or fish scrap 10 Ratio No. li. Scratch grain Pounds. Cracked wheat 26 Cracked corn 20 Pinhead oats 20 Cracked peas 5 Millet seed 5 Moderately fine beef or fish scrap.. 5 Mash mixture Wheat bran T... 10 Cornmeal 6 Ground oats, sifted 6 Gluten feed 2 Wheat middlings 3 Fine beet or fish ai rap 5 Obviously it is Important that the grains be cracked fine so the baby chicks may eat them readily. After a few weeks whole wheat and ordi nary cracked corn may be used and something of a saving thus effected. There are as many different methods of feeding as there are feed mixtures. The writer has had excel lent success through following the plan outlined below: Supply no feed, of any kind until the chicks are at least 36 to 48 hours old. Too early feeding may bring on a train of evils. Shortly before the rhick breaks the shell and tumbles out into the world it absorbs into its body that portion of the yolk which has not previously been used. This supplies all the nourishment required for two or three days and this should be largely used before other food is given. The first meal may consist of a small amount of the cracked grain mixture, oatmeal or rolled oats, or bread crumbs mixed with a small amount of hard-boiled eggs. With this give a little fine chick grit or oyster shell. Some poultrymen feed grit alone at first, but this is somewhat Man- gerous in the case oi emeus wnicu are permitted to become hungry be fore feeding. Under such conditions they frequently fill their crops and intestines with the shining particles and considerable mortality will fol low. One should see to It that every chick in the flock has ample oppor tunity to partake of the first meal or two. It often happens that the) stronger Individuals will hustle out and eat and then if the food is re moved the more backward ones have no opportunity to secure food until the next meal Is served. Feed Chicks Regularly. After a day or two the feeding may occur at regular Intervals, In quantity sufficient to give each chick a reasonable amount, always avoid ing the danger of overfeeding. Four or five meals dally is the rule for the first two weeks. Wherever possible upply sour milk from the very start. Sour milk is probably superior to sweet milk In its effect upon the chicks. It is eas ier to be sure that the milk is al ways sour than that it is always sweet, and the lactic acid In the sour milk Is a great aid In overcoming the dreaded white diarrhea which is the cause of the untimely death of such a vast number ot chicks under three weeks of age. If there is a sufficient supply of (Ocwluded on I'm IU COMMON PHYSICAL BLEMISHES OF POULTRY. .fm&r w 3 7 a In the most carefully bred flocks of fowls occasional specimens will be found which nre physically Imperfect Some of the more common blemishes are Bhown above. Certain of these do not necessarily In jure the fowl for strictly utility use as the "squirrel-tail" but all are objectionable In exhibition speci mens of most breeds and would cause the faulty specimen to bo disqualified in the showroom. Careful poultrymen, particularly fanciers, refrain from using In their breeding pens all bird which show such do lects, since In most cases these are inheritable. Tlic defects which debar from showroom competition are shown as follow: 1. Slipped wing Wing not folded closely or held in correct position, indicate, weakness or Injury. ". Wry tall All fowls may throw their tall to one side occasionally, but when It remains In this posi tion at all times It is due to malformation of the body. 3. Squirrel tall Tail hold bo high that it inclines toward head, projecting beyond a perpendicular line, extending from junction ot tall and back. A show disqualification in many breeds, as the Leghorn, etc Commonly found In utility flocks. 4. Knock-knees A serious deformity to be avoided in both fancy and utility fowls. More commonly observed In males, especially of the long-legged and heavy breeds. 5. Duck foot The hind toe, which should extend back of the foot, carried forward, C. Lopped comb Single comt lopping over Instead of standing upright. A show disqualification In slngle-comb varieties, save in the case of Mediterranean and Dorking females. This condition often occurs temporarily where birds are out of condition, the comb returning to lis normal position when health and strength are restored. This figure also shows thumbmark in comb, wrinkled earlobeB and wattles. Exhibition defects. 1. Side sprig Small growth on side of comb. Show disqualification in all slnglc-comb varieties. . Cross bill A most serious blemish. There are several other defects which cannot be Illustrated. Among them are crooked back's and crooked breasts. These may be detected by handling the birds. In the showroom Judges are particular to look for stubs or email feathers on the legs and toes of dean-legged varieties. If these are found, or evidence that they have been removed, the specimen Is dis qualified. There are also color disqualifications, varying with the breed and variety. The exhibitor of fancy fowls must know all these or bis chance of winning prizes will be very email.