Evening star., 1915-03-21
JBURBAN AND COUNTRY LIFE PAGE

they go backward sometimes for a
distance of eight inches or SO. with
their mouths open. then rest. and do
chicks were hatched in an incubator
and were supposed to be from healthy
STOCK, although the owner of the parent
stock does not give breeding stock free
range. l have brooder In which the
heat is supplied from the bottom. in
stead Of the top, but the brooder has
been kept at only moderate heat an
l do not think this Is the cause of the
brooders heated from below often af-
feet the chicks legs. This brooder is
OF good size. there Is plenty of room
and the chicks are not overcrowded.
l have lost two chicks in the last two
days. with no signs of any chick dis
ease, and both of these died at night
apparently having only the leg weak
ness mentioned above. If you could
give me some information in regard to
this and the best thing to do to help
the rest of the chicks. 1 assure you the
advice will be appreciated.-S. D., jr.,
Washington.
Answer-The method of brooding the
chicks. In which the hover is heated
from below, is the cause Of the trouble
This method of supplying heat In IA
hover almost invariably results in leg
weakness, which appears to be a form
of paralysis. which affects not only the
legs of the chicks. but other voluntary
and involuntary muscles. The fact that
the hover has been heated only to a
moderate degree makes no difference; !;
II is the method. and not the degree
OF heat. which is at fault. In fact, low
temperature combined with heat from
below might easily make results more
serious. as chicks two weeks old should
De be Kept in temperature of between
30 and IS degrees. and for the first
week the temperature should be close
to 100 degrees. The remedy is to re-
move the chicks at once from the
faulty hover and place them In one
which is heated from the top. Give the
chicks sweet milk to drink; feed them
twice a day on some succulent green
stuff, finely minced or chopped, such
as lettuce, cabbage. carrots or the
IKE, and give them little minced
cooked fresh beef about three times a
week. feeding not more than one ounce
to dozen chicks. However, it Is doubt
full if the chicks will recover from the
setback they have evidently received
In this case no blame can be attached
to the breeding stock from which the
eggs came: the fault has been in the
method of brooding.
Question--What is the cause of the
whites OF the eggs laid by my fowls
being unusually watery" | have about
twenty hens and pullets, with one cock
eral. The chickens are fed a good
grain feed twice day, and dry mash is
before them all the time. l feed chop
ped cabbage about three times a week
Chickens have large run. and I also
Keep grit oyster shell and charcoal be-
fore them all the time. VIII appre-
clate 1t very much if you will inform
me as to the probable cause of this
In your opinion, should be used to rem
edy TT. E. F.. Virginia.
Answer-Are you sure the whites of
the eggs are Unusually" watery?
Really fresh eggs, the kind you gather
every evening fresh from the nests, al
ways are more watery than those
bought In the stores: in fact, this is a
sign of the freshness of eggs. You
seem to be feeding good ration, pro-
vided the hard grain is mixed oats,
wheat or some similar grain. and corn.
Perhaps the feeding of a ration of cut
green bone, about half an ounce per
hen. three times week. might over
come the wateriness in the whites of
the eggs. However, there is no cause
to worry, II the hens are laying as
they should. for the reason that an all
Ing hen or pullet does not lay.
Question-Kindly answer the follow
ing queries in the Questions and An
VIII black Minorca OF black Orping-
ton made a setting hen? 2. What are
the best winter layers? 3. What color
Is the skin Of a black Minorca? Mine
have yellow skins: are they pure bred?
4. How are barred Plymouth Rocks for
setting? Kindly advise beginner
M. A. c., Washington
AnsWer-Minorcas, in common with
all the Mediterranean breeds, are class
ed as non-setters. although sometimes
hens of these breeds will set for few
days or a week. These are exceptions,
however. Orpingtons are settlers. 2.
The best winter layers are the ones
that do the best for the individual.
Some breeders swear by Leghorns and
others swear at them: some find the
Plymouth Rocks do best for them, and
others pin their faith to Orpingtons,
Rhode Island Reds of Wyandottes ANY
of the standard breeds, properly ham
died, make good winter layers, provided
the chicks are Matched in March or
April and brought to maturity by Sep
tember. 3. The American Standard of
Perfection says the skin of the Minor
cas- should be pinkish white or flesh
color, this applying to all of the varie-
ties of the Minorca Your yellow skin
Barred Plymouth Rocks are fine set
ters and make fine mothers.
Question have a hen now setting
in April. Please tell me if she can be
set over again at once, and do you
think she will remain on the eggs the
full time; that Is, through the second
setting? .. Will hen, mixed with
Leghorn, set? ). What are the best
winter layers? 4. When will pullets
Matched in April begin to lay? 5. Are
Barred Rocks good layers? NJ. A. f.,
Washington.
Answer-Provided the hen is in good
condition and has not lost flesh and fat,
she should hatch a second brood if the
first chicks are taken from her as soon
as they are Matched. The only reason
hen leaves her eggs when set Il
second time, is that she becomes thin
In flesh, is bothered by vermin, or
becomes sick. Otherwise a hen of any
of the setting breeds will stay on the
nest the full time required for sec
ond hatch. 2 Hens with a mixture
of Leghorn blood do not make the
best settlers, although they sometimes
bring off good matches and make fair
mothers. 3. See answer to NJ A. c. in
this column. 4. April hatched pullets
should begin laying in October or Nov
ember; Leghorns Matched in that
month may lay their first egg in late
September, though pullets of the
American or other heavy breeds, will
be later in starting to lay 5. Barre,.
Plymouth Rocks are among the best