The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1907-05-01
SOME CAUSES OF MORTALITY.
The Chick Which Survives Them and
Reaches the Laying Age is
Mighty Lucky.

Some of the causes are given by a
correspondent Of the California Guilt
vator as follows:
Why do some people have bad
luck with their brooder chicks? Or
in other words, what is the cause Of
mortality amongst brooder chicks?
Sometimes chicks are badly hatch
ed in the Incubator and the trouble
commences there, or even earlier, in
the hens that laid the eggs But
granted that chicks are from vigorous
parents and well Matched, whence the
great mortality?
There are a number Of causes for
mortality among brooder chicks The
limited space Of one page will not per-
nit me to describe all Of them, but
will mention a few
Overheating or Chilling.-During the
first few days this SO Weakens the bow
els that the yolk OF the egg which has
been drawn up into the bowel cavity
during the last day in the shell, cannot
be assimilated or digested. This is the
case when chicks are fed too early in
life.
The last day the chick is in the
shell the yolk OF the egg or so much
of it as has not been used in nourishing
the embryo is drawn into the bowel
cavity and remains there till it is di-
gested which should be within three
days unless something occurs to pre-
vent it. II |
Anything which weakens the bowels,
such as over-heating, chilling, feeding
too soon, or feeding without grit, are
the usual causes for the non-assimila-
ton Of the yolk, and if the yolk is left
too long it putrlfies and brings ON
blood poisoning, diarrhoea being the
hrst symptom Of this.
Impure Water-Another cause OF
mortality is impure water, many a
promising lot Of brooder chicks have
died solely from being obliged to drink
warm, dirty water whilst the owner
has laid it to his or her bad luck,' or
has comforted himself by thinking that
the drarrhoea must have come from
cold.
Over Heating. -Over-heating from
crowding as the chicks grow larger, is
one Of the most fatal causes. The
chicks will sweat off in one night all
they have gained during the day and
will be stunted in growth if they do
not die.
DraughtS, imperfect ventilation, in
sufficient sunshine in water, or in hot
weather not enough shade, improper
feeding, especially too little green grass
Or vegetables, lack Of grit and last,
but not least, tuberculosis, all conspire
to kill Our chicks
Tuberculosis Tuberculosis demands
more than a passing notice, for I be-
1ieve that at least 20 ner CENT IF the
deaths among brooder chicks are from
this disease. tuberculosis thrives in
foul air and darkness. We take great
pains to have a circulation Of pure
warm air in our lncubators, and then
confne our chicks to the dark, close
air OF pipe brooder system Are your
brooders SO made as to furnish an
abundance Of fresh, pure warm air, and
do you keep them clean? To get good
results we must have clean brooders
free from germs of any kind. They
must be supplied with plenty Of sweet
air; they must be kept clean, and they
must be opened as often as possible
to the direct sunshine. The best de-
stroyer Of the tuberculosis germ is
sunshine and fresh air
Rhode Island Experiment Station
The Rhode Island Experiment Station
states in d report on this subject:
The simple expedient of removing
the hovers and setting them out-of-
doors in the full sunshine reduces the
evidence of tuberculosis in so per cent
to only 3 per cent 1t also says:
For guarding against tuberculosis,
give the interior OF the brooders all
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