The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-11-19
AARING for and feeding chicks IA
~ not q difficult process vhen

49,
once tho fundamentals are
learned. There are many different
methods Of caring for and success
fully raising chickA In fact. nearly
rs many as there IN chick raiserA
First Of all, II we wish to raise q
good percentage Of the chicks
Matched, we must have healthy,
vigorous chicks to start with. We
cannot expect to hatch a good per
eentage of poor. weakly chicks To
get those big, husky fellows We
must look back and see what the
parent stock was that laid the eggs
from which these chicks were
Matched. Unless the parent stock u
healthy and vigorous. We cannot e1-
pect to hatch strong, vigorous chicks.
no matter what methods Of incuba-
ton we may follow.
Never use pullets as breeders. a
they will not produce as strong
chicks as win yearling or two-year
Old hens. The proper method Of
feeding and housing must also b
taking into consideration.
As for proper methods of feeding,
q far as our experience Is con-
cerned. we advise keeping . good
dry mash before them at all times,
composed Of cornmeal. middltngA.
wheat bran, and 10 per cent meat
scraps. Avoid feeding wet mashes.
Of you want strongly fertilized eggs
Keep a good supply Of grit, shells
and charcoal before them at all
times. Give the breeders plenty Of
cut door exercise, and on cold or
stormy days, when confined to the
house, throw their grain in SIX or
eight inches Of good clean litter. 30
hey can warm up BY exercising in
scratching for It Plenty Of good,
clean water should always be within
reach.
I do not believe there Is any one
Of practical experience who would
not recommend the fresh-atr or
ppen-front house. I have learned
from my own experiece that fresh
air methods mean healthier and
stronger fowls
Eggs intended for Matching pur-
poses should be carefully handled
and never, exposed to heat or cold
In selecting eggs for Matching a.
ways use those Of medium size. The
extremely large ones generally pro
duce cripples while the small ones
produce weaklings, as a rule. As
regards setting a hen, this We con-
slider a very simple matter and We
believe everyone, or nearly every
one, can set a hen all right, but 81
few hints may be Of $ to some
Dne. Put the nest on the ground.
70 that the hen al easily get on
and off. Put 4 shovel Of dirt In
bottom of box and then put fine
straw on top Of thiA II In winter
It is well to first line the boz with
paper to keep out the draughtA
Sprinkle nest and hen with good Ice
to rid both Of lice. Do not
give eggs than she can cover
which is usually from IL ts
is eggs, depending OF size Of han
and weather conditions. Provide .
dust bath for the sitting hens and
feed plenty Of whole corn. Dust
them again about the eighteenth dxy
with sulphur or good lice powder.
As for running an incubator. the
best advice we can give Ii to fol-
low the manufacturers direrctions
to the letter. The nan who makes
the incubator knows, or ought to
know, just how his machine should
be u to give best results, so It -
needless for NJ to offer any suE-
gestions. But don't always blame
the machine for poor matches. First
be sure You have done your part
with tncubators II the
best teacher.
After the chicks arrive. do not b
IN a hurry to feed them. but give
them all the water they wish to
drink. Many people want to b kind
70 their chicks and feed them too
soon after Matching. This early
feeding probably causes moro chick
disorders and loss than anything We
know Of. After the chicks are about