The Practical Country Gentleman; A Handbook for the Owner of a Country Estate, Large or Small - Edward Kneeland Parkinson

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1911 edition. Excerpt: ... early spring, the eggs must be set as early in the autumn as possible, a time unfortunately when eggs are scarce and high in price, as the old hens are in the process of moulting. As soon as the chicks are old enough to be fed, they should be given small quantities of "chick food," which is scattered in the litter in the "sun parlor" part of the brooder, if it be of the outdoor type; or if a piped brooder-house has been built, a low board fence eight inches high should be set up around the entrance, leaving a space 2 by 3 feet for the youngsters to exercise in until they are three or four days old, when they may have the run of the entire pen. Outdoor brooders must be placed in a brooderhouse during the winter; and the house should be provided with sufficient heat to keep the temperature about 40 degrees in zero weather. Each pen must be supplied with a box of grit and charcoal and pure water. In order to force chicks along as rapidly as possible, they should have an abundance of fresh air and exercise. Clear away the snow directly in front of the brooder-house and make them run out for Courtesy of Messrs. lord & BurnbaJn Co. ORCHIDS AND BEANS IN BLOSSOM IN MID-WINTER a few moments every day when the sun is shining. When the youngsters are two weeks old they should have, in addition to dry feed in the hoppers (which are before them all the time), a daily mash composed of equal parts of corn meal, wheat bran, and ground oats (with the hulls sifted out). This mixture should be scalded and fed warm, but never hot; and with this sweet skim milk may be given in clean tin drinking-pans arranged so that only the beaks of the chicks can reach the milk, otherwise they will befoul themselves and the milk. By the end of the fourth week the mash may...