Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-09-16
POULTRY
CONSULTING DEPARTMENT
Conducted by VI. w. HICKS

Late Matched Chicks Need Unusual
Care
Not in number Of years have the
! early-hatched chicks been as scarce as
this year, not only in this zone, but
over considerable portion of the
country. Fertility was about normal
during January and part Of February.
Then came the unusually late cold
snaps, and. except i'm a few cases,
fertility took a drop, causing poor
matches, in many cases almost total
failures. From reports and eXper-
fence even the hens did not do their
usual duty when setting on eggs in
number of cases. This has caused a
majority Of the poultry raisers to
hatch chicks later than usual. some
thing which the experienced poultry
raiser tries TO avoid if possible, but
which this year has been forced upon
him. due TO the poor results of the
early matches.
There are some who advocate the
June and July Matched chicks, and
this may be all right from the stand
point of the poultry raiser who wishes
to raise poultry for market, or late
winter layers; or. perhaps. have the
poultry To be in prime condition for
the late winter shows. But seldom
will these June and July-hatched
chicks develop into winter layers as a
flock, nor do they attain the proper
weight, except under almost ideal con-
ditions and expert care, which the
majority of those who raise poultry
do not provide. That ii is hard to
raise these late-hatched chicks, more
so than those Matched in March, April
or May is not questioned by any one
who has gone through the experience.
They are Matched during a trying time
of the year. hot days and hot nights
of June and July, and. while yet
young, they must go through the dog
days of August. and this naturally
retards growth. They do not, can not.
eat as much during the heated spells.
and this. with the temperature high.
checks the steady growth that the
earlier Matched chicks obtain
only by the best of care can late
Matched chicks be reared in manner
to become profitable TO their owner.
If reared by the brooder, great care
must be exercised that the heat does
not go above 95 degrees: that plenty
Of fresh air is provided: that there
shall be no crowdng The brooder
that successfully reared s. to so. will
not accomplish the same work with
the temperature high. as it will be
during June and July nights and days.
Overcrowding Is one of the evils that
even the more experienced poultry
raiser sometimes INDUCES in, always
at loss, especially during the sum-
mer months. II is far better to raise
so good chicks than 100 understood
chicks, that will never return a profit
that the well-raised chick would. The
aim of most poultry keepers seems to
be large numbers, and in "a majority
Of cases more chicks are raised. or
an attempt made To raise them, than
the capacity of the brooder.
As soon as possible the chicks
should be removed from the artificial
heat OF the brooder and placed in
well-ventilated coops. where they can
have plenty of floor space and an
abundance of fresh air. The colony
houses should be kept clean, well
sprayed TO keep down lice. for. while
lDtA may Dt new DullullSS anu Tree
from a sign of any lice. sparrows, the
poultry raiser's pest will soon bring
them. Few sections are free from
this Objectionable bird.
Use only the best of feeds. 1t is
false economy to purchase cheap
feeds, always as a rule at the expense
OF both health and rapid growth.
There are now several high-grade
chick feeds on the market from which
any poultry raiser can obtain results.
There are many that are Of doubtful
quality Shade is one of the essentials
and must be provided either artifcally
or naturally. Water is essential, es-
pecially during the summer, and any
poultry raiser is well paid for extra
efforts I'm seeing that the water supply
is fresh and cool several times during
the day The chicks should always
have fresh water before nightfall. The
matter of shade, water and comfort
able houses well ventilated may seem
of little importance to the average
beginner, but to one who has gone
through several years Of poultry rails
ing it is Of considerable Importance.
In fact, these will largely determine
the success of the late-hatched chicks.
No one could reasonably expect a
rapid growth where only hot houses
quartered the chicks, where the water
was given once or twice a day. the
remainder of the time the water being
warm and unfit TO drink; where the
feed was composed of 5one or two
grains, mostly corn TO aid the already
hot chick; where the houses were
cleaned but once a week, and the
growing chicks crowed. yet, surprising
as 1t may seem, with all the advice
/ against such practice, this is what one
will see in a large number of cases.
1t is one thing that is largely respon-
sible for the high death rate in late
Matched chicks. or, If not the loss Of
chicks, the raising OF understood fowls
that will not prove profitable as winter
/ layers.
To succeed with late-hatched chicks
extra care and attention must be given
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