The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-06-21
By DIR. NATHAN w. sANBoRN.

X.
By DIR. NATHAN w. SANBORN.
I is common idea, though false
one, that chicks Matched during
the summer months are unprofta-
BILE 1t is the fauld of the system used
that has given poultrymen results that
were discouraging. Time men out of
ten who try to hatch and rear chicks
in the summer months attempt to do so
on the same ground that has been used
for the earlier matches. Some even let
the July Matched chicks rustic for food
and shelter with the cockerels and
pullets that came out In March and
April. Give the July chicks the same
chance that was given the March
Matched ones, and you can grow them
easily and make nice profit from
them.
l know family that is able to close
up the village home in late June and
spend the next 10 weeks on their New
Hampshire farm. They take virtually
their entire flock of poultry with them,
hatch and rear their chicks on the farm
and bring them back to town in the
autumn AT that time both chicks and
hens are in the pink of condition.
Fresh-Air Treatment
On the farm the hens go out in rough
shelters, mostly open on ends and front,
some of them cheap, floorless houses
that can be easily moved from place to
place as the grass is eaten or soiled.
The chicks are Matched in an incubator,
brooded by hens, and as soon as they
n lT.a Gha1 hot 10
open on every side. They roost well up
toward the roof, out of reach of falling
dain, thus having all the advantages of
roosting in trees, but with the dangers
cut out. Proving vermin is kept away
by the wire covered sides of the shell
ters, and the long days give abundant
time for the wide range of the real
farm
The fresh air treatment that is SO
useful in the handling of disease in hui
mans works out wonders in the produce
Ing of strong chicks and the making
over of the hens that are saved for flu
ture breeding. This family rejoices in
the possession of farm in the hill
country, finds upon 1t a low-cost sum-
mer vacation, and at the same time has
worked out the raising of sturdy chick s
in summer. Let us see If we can not
apply their conditions to chicks as
raised in the town in the hot months.
began to lay in January. The cocker
els made good eating from the middle
of October till the late day in March.
They We're as healthy, as vigorous, as
profitable as any l ever started two
months earlier Possibly they averaged
quarter of a pound less in weight
that spring Matched chicks. but, on the
other hand, they began to lay at a
month less age. What l lost on the
flesh made up on the dozen extra eggs
laid. In my earlier work with poultry
/ never made summer chicks really
profitable 1t was my fault because |
did not use my brain as 1 should, and
no wonder I failed to get what I ex-
pected l would like to share with
others the secret, if secret there be, of
raising these warm weather chicks.
Incubators Preferred
L favor the use of the incubator in
the Matching of summer chicks. I have
these machines, like them better than
hens, and depend upon them. When 1
was practicing medicine, before coming
on my farm five years ago, / had to do
part of my incubating with hens es-
pecially in the Matching of these late
chicks. Now, hen-hatched chicks, the
summer ones, are brought forth when
lice and red mites are abundant and
active. And how these pests do love
the warmth and blood of the sitting
hen, Developing chick embryos under
the hen. even though protected by
shells, suffer from her uneasiness re-
sulting from the pernicious activities
of the lice and from her weakness from
the blood sucking of the red mites
Then hen that covers a clutch of eggs
in late June must be busted before in
cubation begins. once a week during
Incubation, and two days after hatch
ing. The fine dusing powder has to be
well work ed into the feathers around
the vent. the name given to the OPEN
ing of the bowels, as we'll as under the
wings ard across the back. The eggs
from which the new crop of lice is to
come are fastened to the short feathers
just below the vent. Dust has no effect
on the eggs--or "nits,' as they are
commonly called--and 1t is not till they
are Matched that you can kill the new
generation of lice. Two thorough dust
ings should destroy most of the lice,
and the third and fourth dusings take
care of the stray lice that were else
where when you gave the previous
treatment.
Fight Vermin
The red mites. or spider lice. cannot
be successfully fought with insect pow
der. You have to get right at them
with something that will destroy them.
There are several liquid lice killers on
the market that do good work, and
they are the most convenient to buy.
Sometimes the house owner has can
of one of the tar disinfectants used
around the stable or kitchen, that may
be used for the mites. I add enough of
this liquid to water to give a decided
milky look to the mixture, but not
enough to be at all gummy. Get this
spread over a red mite and he has had
his last feast of hens blood. With
brush or spray pump you can satusate
the nest of the hen, before using. as
we'll as any doubtful cracks in the hen
house. During the day the mites are
to be found hidden away in the dark
cracks, and by night on the hen. Get
rid of the mites before they have any
chance to annoy or weaken the hen.
The hen will do better work in hatch