The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1905-05-15

to warm themselves. If every part
of the air chamber is warm they will
not crowd together. The very lowest
temperature that will keep them warm
enough is the degree of heat to keep
at all times. Avoid extremes of heat
or cold. Directions may state that you
follow certain degree for so long.
This is all right. That is your founda
ton to work on. But use judgment
with it and watch the chicks. Their
degree of heat should be yours. Strive
for the natural, healthful heat, which
is between ninety and one hundred at
the start, with the chicks guiding you
for the future heat, especially in the
spring, when the temperature changes
are sudden.
Many thousands of chicks will fall
by the wayside this spring, as they do
every year, from diarrhoea and de-
rangements Of the bowels. and every
theory will be advanced as to the
cause except the right one. Many
cases are due to extreme heat or cold
in the brOOder, many from improper
feeding Improper feeding is the rock
on which so many go down. 1t is so
easy to overfeed, which will always re-
suit on the losing side. Chicks should
for the first ten days be fed every two
to three hours, and then only what
they will eat clean. Keep them hungry
at all times. To be on the safe side,
if you can obtain them, there are quite
few good prepared chick foods on
the market that can be prOfitably fed
the first ten days with good results.
Keep the brOOder clean. il hatch
ing by hens fight ]ice-yOu have them.
Above all, make them work for every
grain. Feed meat, dry in troughs,
every day for the first ten days. Then
feed every other day until they are six
weeks old. If fed an excess of meat
leg weakness is very likely to appear.
We do not believe in feeding any
grain all they will eat, or having meat
before them at all times unless fore
ing for quick growth for broilers. We
believe in having a steady growth in
which our death rate has been reduced
to three per cent There is no ques-
ton in our mind but that forcing in
creases the death rate. 1t has on our
farm, and we now grow for strength
with a small death rate, having more
to sell at perhaps two weeks later
! than the forced chick but with less
death rate by a third, and the chicks
kept for laying purposes are hardy
and strong. Avoid wet mashes. For
safeness feed dry food until eight
weeks old, when for change a mash
can be fed once day. After the first
| ten days ground oats, cracked corn
and cracked wheat can be fed, presnm-
| ing you have fed one of the prepared
chick foods that are on the market. If
not, feed the above after forty-eight
hours in deep litter of clover or cut
grass Have fresh water before them
with the chill taken from it. See that
| it is fixed so the chicks will not get
in it with their feet. Charcoal and
grit should be before them at all times.
Use judgment in the feeding of meat.
If milk can be obtained let them drink
of that once a day. But don't think
it takes the place of water. See that
they have fresh water also. Keep the
chicks growing steady if you wish a
low death rate. Healthy chicks that
will mature into good strong fowls will
have constitutions to stand heavy feed
ing for eggs when eggs are high Don't
force them from the shell in hopes
of getting a few cents more per pound
at the broiler age. You will have more
chicks to sell few weeks later which