The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-09
With Warm Weather and Range Feeding, Young Birds Are Harder and Feeding Cost Is Greatly Decreased
Essential Features Which Should Be Observed. Common Mistakes Easily Avoided
By A. c. SMITH
Head of the Department of Poultry Husbandry. University of Minnesota
 

Chicks reared by the natural method are generally stronger because weather conditions are more settled during June and July. Outdoor exercise un- der the warm summer sun. together with natural feeding. promotes the healthfulness and ultimate profit of chicks.
 Since it affords the hen a period of rest after the long laying season. breeding in May and Juno assures a better yield of eggs in late summer and early fall.
 Note suggestions to insure success in natural incubation. Read what to avoid and how to secure best results from a small flock.
 Experience has convinced the most observing students of poultry culture that artificially reared chicks do not do as well in warm weather as those brooded by natural methods. With the latter man has had but little to do. lie has made no improvement on pre-. historic systems of incubation. except ing that he may hatch when he will and almost without restriction as to numbers. Even this statement must be modified, because though eggs may be !ncubated 1t is quite another and more complicated matter to hatch a satis- factory percentage during the off sea son.
 Accepting the fact commonly ad mitted by experienced poultry raisers that there Is double advantage in caring chicks naturally of Juno and July, 1t means that the hen must be set in May. Here we have happy CO., incidence, because May Is the month when most of the hens become broody. having laid for two and one-half or three months. Healthy hens lay we'll during the late summer and early fall. At this time eggs. though not quoted as high in price as a little later, bring much more than in the spring months. Moreover production Is much more cor tain under these conditions than dur ing the coldest weather. even from the best managed flocks.
 From the standpoint of profit. 1t is manifestly no disadvantage and in most cases distinct advantage to all low the hen to take natures Way of recuperating after a strenuous season of egg production. There can be then but one other question to consider, and that Is the advisability of rearing late hatched chicks In some localities June chicks would be regarded as late; in others late May and June chicks predominate because it Is impossible to rear a good percentage of chicks before that time without considerable expen- sive equipment.
 Late Matched Chicks Fed Cheaper
 It Is agreed that to obtain highest also to raise bullets that will lay early. chicks must be matched before this time. There are, however. many things in favor of late May and June chicks. Chicks matched late are surrounded from birth with most favorable con- ditions. They are matched at time when all natural conditions are favor able. Cold nights are past or a long way off; the warm sun has long sinco criven the frost from the ground and vegetation of all sorts is growing and tender. Thus the fowls are furnisho natural succulent food which has egg producing qualities to a great de- gree.
 Whether or not the necessary green
 
 ature, on ample range, Is big eco- romic item. It must be given careful consideration, for if favorable range conditions exist the cost of feeding Is naturally decreased. Under such condi- tions chicks should be reared at feeding cost not to exceed one-third or one-half of what they bring on the market at wholesale prices live weight This is particularly true of chicks raised on free range fin the small grain districts. and even of those raised in communities where garden crops are grown.
 Common Mistakes With Late Chicks
 It Is most apparent from the above that chicks matched in the latter part of May and June may be fed much more cheaply than those matched earlier in the season. but many have difhcrlty in rearing very young chicks during hot weather. Such difficulty is largely due to inexperience Certain funda- mental principles must be applied to the art of rearing chicks whether they be hatched early or late. Late chicks should be given entirely different range from early ones Unless this Is done their growth is retarded. perhaps ctunted. Many are lost that would grow to maturity if given suitable range. One reason why early chicks sometimes fare better than later ar- rivals Is that they are started on fresh ground, that is ground upon which no chicks have been that season. They are then removed to other pastures and the next broods placed on the original plot, and so on. Each group not only exhausts the supply of green food, in- secte and the like. but also contami- hates the ground to a greater or less extent.
 So far as possible each successive brood should be started on fresh ground. When this is not practical the ground should be turned and seeded to some rapidly growing green crop. If the sod is intact, rest of several days will do much to renew It's freshness especially if there have been one or two good showers meantime.
 These two features, l. e., keeping the late chick apart from those matched earlier and starting each brood on fresh ground, must be adhered to al- ways when chicks are matched and reared by natural methods if your sys- tenn of rearing Is to be successful. On the other hand. neglect to observe those two rules Is the principal reason for failure with late broods.
 After considering the above facts, 1t appears that late May and Juno chicks may be advantageously raised by sev- cral classes of poultrymen:
 i. By the farmer in the small grain districts because these chicks will have just passed the feathering stage at the commencement Of the harvests when .he scatterings will form q very cun- uiderable part of their food: alao. bo- cause tho climate In such localities is generally unfit for outdoor chicks uns fi1 fhe middle of May or first of June