The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1878-04-25

tdFc or ChtcHe1iS. FOR the first
twenty four hours after Matching,
chickens require no food at all ma.
ture has made ample and wise pro.
vision for their support for this pe-
riod. The first meal should no civ.
en- ON the nest, and cs good feed
90 we have ever tried is mixture
g yolli of hard boiled eggs and
s.ale bread crumbs. slightly mois-
toned with milk After the second
day the chicks and their mother
should be taken from tho nest and
placed in n coop, where hens aud
chicks together can be fed and cared
for during the nexttwo days. Their
food during this time should be
mostly Indian meal, wet to the form
OF mush, baked to the semblauce
OF "Johnnycako,' and crumbled to
convenient size.
After this second arrangement of
S-~ A.-,J S------. -. !. .
nence teaching the chicks TO feed al
an lance and look out for them
selfes, by adding to the coop a COW
cred run whore they will be safe
from the attacks of hawks, cats, and
other marauders. At this stage OF
their growth they should have n
supply of tender grass cut fine and
placed in the corner farthest from
the mother hen. At the same time
commence the system Of separate
feeding, and teach the chicks to
come for food, not to the mother,
but to the accustomed feading place.
Replace, after the first six days, the
crumbled mush of the first meals by
scraps OF waste meat cut up fiue aud
cooked enough to take away the
raw taste, anu rs tho chicks become
wonted to their new quarters, and
accustomed to help themselves, add
finely cracked corn and buckwheat,
oats and other cereals
There are rs many styles and va
rieties of coops as there are tastes
The great requisite, as We consider
it to have it proof a ,ainst the wea-
ther, and capable Of being closed at
night, 80 as to prevent the ingress
OF vermin. as rats, skunks, &c.
The use Of coop to confine the
nursing hen, lest she should lead
her brood into dangerous or forbid
den places, or stray with them too
far from shelter in case OF sudden
showers or too much sunshine, is
quite necessary in every well-ap-
pointed poultry yard. Where many
hens and broods are existing at the
same time, it would be very difficult
to keep them separate, rs their re-
spective ages, kinds, or dispositions
of the nurses may render necessary
Any one Of common igenuity with
common tools aud few boards, car
easily make coop such as is requir
ed. II is an absolute essential that
cleanliness be strictly observed in
and around the coop, and il the COOP
be allowed to remain in one place
unless dry earth or somo substitute
for it, such as ashes, arc supplied
tuo tiouht boOu btCOiiSo tululet
and causes disease and vermin. |
is quite as important to observe tn,
law of cleanliness with young chick
ems as with older ones neither vii
thrive and be in healthy condition
unless duo regard DO paid to thi'
point Water should always be ac
cesslble to both the chickens ant
the mother, and it should be clean
pure water, and the vessel contain
ing it cleased, and filed at leas
daily. Impure, stagnant water is
fruitful source OF disease.
II you are situated SO that it i
admissible, it is good plan to le
the mother, with her brood, hav
free range after the chickens ar,
three weeks old, provided the wea
ther is suitable. In this way the,
will forage for themselves so as &
require very little extra food tn
hen mother will scratch up for he
brood vast number OF worms, in
sects, etc. and il they have the rang,
Of an orchard, the benefit they will
be to II in destroying worms aut
larvm OF tho various kin DIS which in
fest such places, will amply repa,
for the trOublo and aven In IN,