The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1908-04-18
Our Poultry %
Department @S
Care OF The Little Chicks
BERTHA N. TYSON. Editor

/ suppose the majority OF my read
ers are still dependent upon the natural
mode OF incubation and brooding OF
chicks and | thought few words OF
advice as TO the care OF chicks would
be opportune at this time, April being
the busiest OF the Matching months for
those OF us who do not make a spec
ialty Of poultry raising.
Almost everyone | know removes
the chicks from the nest just as soon
as they are dry, usually taking them in
the house and placing them III a bas-
ket or box near the kitchen fire and II
is frequently too warm for them and
unless covered over, too light Tor their
eyes. 1t is much better il they are al
lowed TO remain under the hen until
she has finished Matching, provided OF
course, she be quiet, motherly hen,
some iusty hens ilouncc around so
much at this time that they tramplc
upon the soft little fellows and kill
them.
1t is a good plan to mark the hens
found to be good sitters, and mothers,
so that you may know them next year.
Some hens never sit well, do not keep
up NNNli lNdA alib HNNNl
hatch well, it is a good plan to sell
them when through laying the spring
litter.
When the Matching is over and the
chicks have remained quietly under the
hen in the nest during the process, re-
move the hen, give her a good busting
witha good insect powder and place
her and the chicks in the coop which
has been prepared for them. The coop
should be perfectly clean with tight
board floor. Some rub the hen well
with lard into which a few drops oil
kerosene has been well mixed and this
is very good to kill the lice but be
careful not TO use much kerosene as it
will burn the chicks heads.
Do not feed the chicks until from
80 to - hours old and then give them
first some fine grit or clean sand, char
coal and fresh water the water should
be so arranged that the chicks cam
not get their feet in it, II the weather
is very cold, take the chill of it with a
little warm water.
While the floor OF the coop should
be tight and the roof also, III order to
turn rain, there should be good way
OF ventilating near the top oil the coop.
Now is the time to get the pullets
Matched il we hope TO have a full egg
basket next winter; il they are Matched
during April and the early part OF May
and kept growing steadily they will be
fully matured and ready to begin lay
ing before the cold weather sets in.
While il is not well to ovcrieed young
chicks, after they are two weeks old
they should have free access TO food
at all times (casily done by using a
FEEDER and in this way they get the
food when they feel hungry and they
certainly do grow.
Keep a close watch Tor lice on the
little chicks and il the large head lice
are found on them n drop OF sweet oil
on the top OF their heads will kill the
lice.
For the first feed give them stale
bread wet in sweet milk and squeeze
it as dry as possible crumbling the
bread for them, vary this with some
prepared chick food, cracked wheat,
dry oat meal milct seed, etc, after
they are a Jew days old and after a
week old, give them beef scrap dry
mixed with the food, n little At first
and gradually increase the quantity,
There is no economy in "skimping
the food and il one does not feel like
buying much food, hatch less cnick-
ems and raise them right, rather than
try To- raise twice as many as you can
buy food for. II you expect pullcts to
lay they must be well fed steadily
while growing and maturing as well as
later. Some have success feeding corn
meal, etc, but il is more trouble to
prepare and is too concentrated food
il fed exclusively, better vary their
food from time to time II wet, sloppy
food is fed the chicks often have indi.
gcstion and intestinal troubles. Keep
the coops clean and use disinicctant
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