FEEDING CHICKENS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 August 1938, Page 7

FEEDING CHICKENS

A SIMPLE RATION. . Inquiries are frequently received regarding the inclusion of numerous unnecessary items in-the ration for chickens witfi the object of promoting growth, but, provided the brooding conditions are satisfactory, all that is necessary to ensure proper development is a plain ration in which is included either liquid or powdered milk. No better results are obtained anywhere than at the New South Wales Government poultry farm, Seven Hills, and at Hawkesbury Agricultural College, Richmond, and for many years a simple ration has been used at these institutions for raising chickens. Particulars of the method of feeding adopted are are as follow: — 1. The chickens are allowed to fast during the first 36 to 48 hours from actual hatching time. c 2. For the first two days dry rolled oats is given. 3. From two days to six weeks the chickens are fed five times a day, four times on a moist, crumbly mash and once, towards evening, on a kibbled grain mixture. 4. From six to 12 weeks four feeds per day are given, three of wet mash and one of mixed grain, consisting of wheat and cracked maize instead of chicken mixture. 5. From 12 to 24 weeks, a morning mash is fed, the same as for adult birds consisting of pollard 601 b, bran 341 b, and meatmeal 61b mixed with hot water in which has been dissolved common salt at the rate of 220 z per 1001 b. At midday a plain mash of pollard and bran without any meat-meal is given, and in the evening wheat and cracked maize. For chickens from two days to 12 weeks of age, the compositiori of the ration is as under:— Pollard two-thirds by weight, bran one-third, mixed with hot skim milk, if available, or with milk or buttermilk powder dissolved in hot water at the rate of 11b to a gallon. To each 51b of dry ingredients to be mixed, loz of common salt is dissolved in the mixing liquid. Bonemeal is also added at the rate of 2Joz to each 51b of dry matter in each of the mash feeds, or soz to each 51b in two feeds per day. For the last feed of the day, the kibbled grain mixtures obtainable from most produce merchants are quite suitable, but those who desire to make up their own will find the following mixture satisfactory:— Kibbled wheat 551 b Kibbled maize 321 b Kibbled skinless or hulled oats 101 b Hemp seed 31b The fine meal should be screened out of the mixture and may be used in the mash if so desired.