The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-04-10
REARING THE CHICK.
Help That May Be Given Them in the
Struggle for Existence

1t is comparatively easy matter to
/ hatch almost any humber OF chicks, but
! the rearing OF them to maturity is an
entirely different matter says the Phila-
/ delpha Record Newly matched chicks
are tender little creatures at best, and
even with the very best OF care certain
percentage Of them will die before they
are a month old and II neglected larg-
er number Of them will be gone before
they reach that age. The great loss
among little chicks is due Ia numerous
causes, such as hereditary weakness. ie-
norance or carelessHess on the part of
the caretaker, improper food, chilling,
overheating. lice, exposure. etc. Heredi-
tary weakness or low vitality should be
guarded against by using only strong
vigorous birds that are as free from the
taints OF disease as is possible to get
them.
Ancestral vigur has much TO do with
a chicks chance Of reaching maturity.
The breeding birds should be full of Wig
or and vitality. which Is indicated bv
bright eyes and bright red combs. It is
q waste Of time and effort to try to
raise chicks that are the progeny Of
weakly. cmaciated stock Fifteen or
twenty years ago probably Is per cent.
OF all the chicks Matched IN this country
were fed practically nothing bnt wet
cornmcal during the first month Of their
lives if many q them happened to live
that long. In Some cases it was boiled
and made into a mush and in other cases
was simply mixed with water and fed in
a sloppy and sometimes sour condition.
As the Importance % the poultry in
dustry became manifest, however, the
matter Of properly feeding the chicks
to decrease the death rate, promote
steady growth and produae vigorous,
healthy fowls, was made a matter of
special study and scientific investigation,
and rs consequence the sloppy and
even wet foods Of all kinds were long
ago discarded and nothing but dry foods
used in the majority OF cases In add
ton to good foods. the chicks must have
dry, clean quarters. must be kept free
from lice and mites, must have pure
water to drink at all times and must
be protected from the cold and dampness
of spring and the heat of summer If
their quarters are allowed 10 become
filthy, whether it be brooder or coop.
disease and death are sure to result. |
Filth is not only the natural breeding
place for disease germs. but also for
lice and mites. and it is no wonder that
chicks kept in such quarters are weak.
puny and siekly and no wonder they
die.
If the chicks come from strong. vigor- /
Gus ancestry and are properly fed and |
housed the owner will have little use for !
the medicine chest But it is we'll TO
have a few simple remedies handy, new
ertheless. If any of the chicks show
of bowel trouble. few drops !
of eamphor in the drinking water will |
afford relief and effect a cure Of the |
disease in its incipient stage. A few
drops of tineture Of iron in the drinking |
water occasionally is good for the chicks, |
but the best and cheapest tonic is goon,
pure air and sunshine. See that the |
chicks get sun bath on every pleasant
day. even in early spring. But see also
that they are protected from the raw
winds. Sunshine is just as beneficial
to young chicks as to young plants.
Coupled with pure air, it is natures rem
edy for all disease and a promoter of A
health.