The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1908-03-28
Our Poultry "a
Department ~
Operating The Br'ooder
BERTHA N. TYSON. Editor

People usually do not think much
about brooding the chicks Matched in
the incubator but attach the gre.test
importance to the Matching when his
is done artihcially. True there would
be no use OF wasting valuable time
considering the best method OF brood
ing unless one meets with success in
Matching, but granting that fair ste
cess has been met with in Matching
out the chicks, the greatest problem
then conironts the operator: that OF
brooding the chicks successfully.
The manufacturers OF brooders send
definite directions how to operate
their brooders successfully and il these
are carefully followed the operator is
apt to meet with good success, pro-
vided, o! course, the brooding device
be one OF any merit.
Probably the two more prominent
reasons for the failure OF operators
are their inability to maintain an evcn
temperature and their failure to iur-
nish the artihcally raised chicks with
the necessities OF life, such as grit,
meat food, exercise, etc, all OF which
are looked after by the mother-hen.
The littl. chicks should not be fed
i1r from 90 - IS hours after they axe
Patched rs they come into tbs world
with sufficient cgg-yolk TO nourish
them for that length OF time. As soon
as the Matching is well under way il is
well to start the heat in the broodcr so
that one may feel reasonably sure that
an even temperature may be maintain
ed, The floor should be covered over
with nice clean, sharp sand TO the
depth OF an inch or a little deeper.
The temperature should be about os
degrees when the chicks are placed in
the broodcr; the temperature will rise
several degrees from the animal heat
OF the chicks which will make It about
the right temperature Tor the LITTLE
chicks. II is not as easy to suage the
proper temperature so well by the exact
degree as shown by the thermometer
as il is by closely watching the little
fellows to see II they are comfortable.
II they huddlc close together they are
too cold but il on the other hand they
scratch about and seem to be content
cd and happy they are comfortable.
AT night when the temperature is com
Portable they will spread out over the
floor, lying fiat on the floor; they look
just like they were dead but the least
little noise startles them and YoI can
see for yourself that they are only
comfortably sleeping.
Over the sand | used a litter OF
clover heads, etc, from the barn floor
where hay had been thrown down, this
gives the chicks a great deal OF picking
and il is very good for them. They
should be supplied with plenty OF clean
water so they cannot get in IL; small
sized grit, charcoal. and after a week
or ten days small quantity OF beef
scrap. They should have plenty OF
fresh air and sunshine; the hoyers
should be turned upside down so that
the sun can penetrate every portion
OF it. 1t is best not to put over so
chicks in a brooder; there are times
when more have been raised success
fully but oitencr the result is not en-
couraging.
After the chicks are week old, il
the weather is not too severe, they
should be allowed to run out on the
ground and it is well TO have little
temporary wire run for them so that
they do not get so far away from the
brooder that they do not know how to
get back. II kept too long on a board
floor there is danger oil leg weakness
and sore feet In several instances
dug up pieces OF green sod found
along stream or protected place and
put good su"d piece OF this ~ ;he
exercising apartment; this furnished