The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-06-30
CARE or BABY CHICKS.
sfvhatever N Worth Doing at All Is
Worth Doing Well"

fsWhatever n Worth Doing at All Is
Worth Doing Well"
Many a busy farm wife adds to her
manifold duties the rearing of chicks.
The feeding and care that she bestows
on these attractive little creatures are
mot wholly given because they are
things of beauty, but because she knows
that there are good returns in store
for all the time and feed that she be-
slows properly upon the wee chicks.
Properly bestows, mind for improper
and insufficient food, overfed or irregu-
larly fed chicks, entail loss or result in
disappointingIy small profit. When
chicks are "a hours old, they may usual
~ be removed with safety from the
nest, If they are placed in a sunny,
sheltered nook or corner, in rainproof
coop, having board floor.
Carefully examine mother biddy,
and, if not entirely free from lice, sub
ject her to the cleansing fumes of some
good lice killer. If you have none, sat
urate an old rag with kerosene, rub her
legs well and brush over the feathers
lightly, taking especial pains to rub the
breast feathers, wings and under part
of the body feathers, but do not have
wet enough to drip. Place her in the
coop with her babies. Hens treated in
this way once week or once in two
weeks will rarely have any lice to trans
NIT to their chicks.
A hurdle, built of woven wire or
lath, about the coop to protect the
chicks from other hens or from some
cat intent on juicy morsel for herself
or her kittens, is wise precaution, a
necessary one if you desire to raise a
large per cent of the chicks Matched,
especially necessary if you are raising
pure bred birds. The wire can be taken
down, rolled up and put away after the
chickens are grown, and will last for
years
After using variety of foods l have
for the past two years fed rolled oats
and millet seed almost exclusively. One
might think it expensive food, but it is
not. Take a few dozen eggs to the
grocer and exchange them for oatmeal.
If you are not more than pleased with
the results and the cheapness of this
feed, then your experience will differ
greatly from mine. On no account wet
or cook the oatmeal. Feed dry always.
Millet seed makes them plump as quails.
Place the coops where the chickens can
have free access to the garden, and they
will CLEAN all the bugs and worms that
this plat affords and will also get all the
grit they require Never neglect to pro-
vide them with plenty of pure, clean wa
ter. If one hasn't drinking fountain,
very good substitute is saucer or tin
plate in which baking powder or to-
mato can is placed. We vary their feed
by giving occasionally finely chopped or
hard boiled eggs. As soon as garden
vegetables begin to grow shredded onion
tops and crisp lettuce leaves are added
to their bill of fare. As the chicks de-
velop we change from oatmeal and mil
let seed to cracked corn (for night feed)
and give wheat screenings or buckwheat
mornings
Always see that the little feathered
pets are securely housed if sudden
storm is imminent, and let their shelter
at all times be such that they are dry
and warm. A chilled chick is quite as
bad off as You would be in like condi.
ton. Remember they are 'sbaby"
chicks, and if you would have them
grow and thrive you must treat them
accordingly. Cold and lice are their
greatest enemies the two sources from
which nearly all their ills emanate.
Careful housing nights and rainy days
will prevent the former, and cleanliness
and a judicious use of good liquid lice
killer certainly will prevent or totally
annihilate the latter. You may think
this altogether too much trouble. You
"would rather let them take care of
themselves than fuss like that" Do you
hatch 10 to 10 chicks from every sitting
and rear them all when they stake care
of themselves2" Or do you have several
hens wandering around half the sum-
mer with one or two, possibly three,
chicks apiece? Do you get 81 to so for
pullet or cockerel2 Do you sell sit
tings of eggs at 81 to S. eaeh2 Dear
farm sister, whatever is worth doing
at all is worth doing well. Alma
Cole Pickering in Housekeeper.