Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-03-23
Starting the Chicks Right.

Just as much depends upon the brood
ing of chicks as upon the feeding.
Chicks will more quickly decline under
poor brooding than under improper feed
ing. 1t takes warm quarters as we'll as
proper food to make chicks grow rapid
ly. -,
Early in the season the brooders will
not be successful il left out In all kinds
of weather. They need some protection.
Out of doors there Is too much variation
in the temperature, and unless one con-
stantly watches the heat it is apt to 60
too low for the chicks.
Take lessons from the hen; see how
closely she broods her chicks. Do like
wise az nearly as possibl when handling
chicks in brooders. Maintain hover
heat OF 95 degrees the first week, and
then gradually reduce to 70 degrees
about the fourth week. After this,
gradually do away with heat entirely.
Plenty Of warmth at irst Is essential,
yet on the other hand too much heat
must not be supplied lest the chicks be-
come like hot-house plants. When the
chicks are heated up to a point where
they want nothing but water, bowel
trouble will probably follow soon after
wards.
Little chicks, whether hatched under
hens or in incubatOrs. are usually fed
too often aud also too much at time.
They should be given nothing for thirty
six hours after being hatched, as food In
their early stages is tax upon them.
When they are ready for food, feed
every three hours during the first week,
and never give more at time than the
chicks will eat up clean.
Skim milk is better than water for
mixing the ground food for little
chicks, but il milk Is not easily obtained
use boiling water for this purpose.
Meat in some form should be given chicks
at least twice week. Meat fed chicks
grow faster and are stronger. 1t Is not a
bad plan to buy some prepared chick
food that is guaranteed to be balanced
ration to feed for the first month. After
this, almost anyone can mix his own
grains, and save little expense there
by.
As soon as the chicks begin to
scratch for their food they have learned
to exercise and, If induced to scratch for
a major portion of their food, they are
not likely to contract any diseases.
Do not neglect to give the chicks plen-
ty of fresh water to drink. Give the
water in vessels that will prevent the
chicks from wetting themselves. II the
chicks will eat little and then drink a
little, they are thriving as they should.
Whenever they show q disposition to
drink too much water, they either have
not been watered regularly, or they
have fever that makes them crave
water.
Grit is essential for the work of diges-
tion In q chick. II not allowed access to
grit, the gizzard cannot do its work, d.
Hestiou suffers aud the softened grain
passes into the bowels Improperly pre-.
pared for absorption. Without grit,
the gizzard often becomes impacted, the
crop fills to its limit, and the chick dies
with looseness of the bowels. Grit
may be kept In little boxes near the
coops or brooders where the chicks
can help themselves.
Watch your baby chicks for the head
louise. This enemy has taken Of thou
sand of promising chicks. Rub little
melted lard on the head of each chick
occasionally and thus conquer the head
| louise.
For the first two weeks the cleaning
Of coops and brooders is easy; then the
real work begins. But clean every thing
up thoroughly each day. Absolute
cleanliness In every part of the poultry
plant is necessary to avoid disease
Thousands of chicks die each year be
cause Of unsanitary quarters.