The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-05-13
loyresDondencs Baltimore County Us,ion.
FUSS AND FEATHERS.

Messys. Editors AT this season almost every
hen is trying her best to mother the early hatch
ed baby chicks from these really cold nights that
we are stil having for if the little ones once get
chilled they viii never thrive afterwards Be
careful not to give the old hen too many young
ones until the weather is nice and warm, then
she will not need to hover them at night.
AS each hen matches take out the chicks and
grease them we'll on the head and under the
wings, then dust the old hen good with insect
powder and put her with her brood in q quiet
place to themselves, as other hens viii so often
fight and in this way kill many of the little
chickens before they are strong enough to run
away and protect themselves. After they learn
to know the mother they will stay with her and
never stray.
For the first twenty four hours never feed
them anything but water ard grit sprinkled on
the floor. This will be all that they require
until the second day, when give them stale
bread crumbs and sweet milk; also some scratch
food thrown into little cut straw SO that they
will be kept busy scratching around. Do not
feed wet corn meal. Almost any kind of food is
preferable to this mess, that causes the death of
SO many thousands of little chickens every year.
Each time you set hen dust her well before
hand and let her be free to come of the nest
when she chooses. 1t is very necessary that the
eggs should be cooled each day, as the embryo
chick breathes through the shell and must have
fresh air.
When you first let your hen and her young
brood out of doors see that the grass is perfectly
dry. Never turn them out early in the morning.
By keeping them indoors until after 10 o'clock
you will never be troubled with the gaps. This
disease is great source Of annoyance to many
people. Have feed coop where the little ones
can run in and out many times a day and always
find something to eat and drink. Their craws
are very tiny and they cannot eat much at
time. "a ~,
If you have Matched your chickens in an incu-
bator be careful when you place them in the
brooder not to lower the temperature too soon.
Start with it at 80 degrees and keep y there for
two days, then gradually reduce it 70 20. Then
they will not have setback and will grow like
weeds. Plenty of exercise small grain and grit
will make large. quick growing chickens.
There is nothing to be gained byalways fuss
ing with your hens. Set them in a nice quiet
place and then let them alone. The ultimatum
will be much more satisfactory to both you and
the hen, / am sure. Not even a hen wants any
one always fussing around her. There are mo
ments when we all want to be alone. Remem-
Der this and you will be the gamer in many ways.
Your adaptability to any line has much to do
with your success. You may have noticed how
some people always have such good results.
They just seem to slip into afiuence as though
the grooves were made for them alone, while
another, who seems to work twice as hard over
her enterprise, always ends with grand failure.
Be careful and give attention to the many little
things that go SO far to make up the good results
at the close of the season. E.C.P.