The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-06-20
GREAT CARE NEEDED
FOR GROWING CHICKS
Right Kind Of Food May BE
Given in Plenty without
Overlooking Danger.
KEEP UTENSILS CLEAN
nv On. THOMAS ). CLEMENS.

ny On. THOMAS ). CLEMENS.
Extreme care Is necessary in caring
for chicks during the growing season
in order to secure strong. productive
stock. The chicks should be kept in a
healthy condition. always growing n
free from vermin.
II must be recognized that proper
feeding Is only one of the factors con-
cerned in the successful rearing OF
chicks. Proper haUhlng and proper
brooding are also OF great Importance
IL strong. healthy focks are TO be raised.
Sour and mouldy foods are responsible
for numerous losses every year. and too
great care cannot be taken to see that
all the foods TO which the chicks have
access are free from any trace or mould
or ermentation
Grains that have heated, though they
may not show any trace OF mould. are
often Injurious and should not be fed.
soft foods which have been mixed with
water or milk sour quickly. especially X
exposed to the sun. and should not be
used II there Is the slightest trace OF
fermentation
II is a grea. deal moro economical in
the long run TO throw away tainted FOOD
than TO take the chance OF inJurfns
whole focks OF young chicks by Its use,
All troughs or othor utensils used In
feeding chicks should be cleaned and
scalded frequently and kept scrupulously
free from any trace OF mould or ferrnen-
tat.on. Great care should be taken IN
the use OF foods which. while neither
nouldy nor sour. are soiled by being
trampled by the chicks or mixed with
soil or droppings. The LANCER OF In
fectIon IL such that II II never safe TO
Use foods that arc In that condition.
Remember that only the cleanest foods
should be placed before young chicks
There is practically no danger q over
feeding chicks after they are three or
four weeks old and are running at large.
They should then be induced TO eat the
largest possible quantity OF food IN ORDER
10 secure rapid growth and develop
ment.
A large proportion OF tho diseases
u,h,ch sffec. Young chicks II due 10 Inn
proper feeding or TO Injurious foods
Frozen vegetables, tainted meat or any
rnodsturs which are not IN perfect con
di,ion are liable 10 cause sour crop. IN
ramma'lon OF the crop or tomach ana
intestinal and liver disorders. Including
some forms OF so-called white diar-
rhpa."
When chicks are out or condition
slight notifications IN rations or methods
may result IN COTEeflllAE AH' NV ~
disease. II is much better TO protect
the health OF the chicks by careful
feeding than 20 resort TO drugs after
diseased conditions ave developed.
During early stages OF the chicks Ire
when intestinal troubles are most com
mon, the use OF boiled milk and boiled
rice will be OF great assistance In cor
recting any tendency toward diarrhra or
Inflammation. Boiled milk should be
given 20 drink, and boiled rice should
bs supplied twice a day IN place OF the
regular feed. Rice should be boiled IT,
a double boiler until Il 10 thoroughly
cooked and as dry As poasfole. When
cold, any surplus moisture should be
taken up by mixing II with fine bran,
secured by sitting ordinary through
A -four sieve and discardine the ooarser
grade. Bran itself has a decided ton'c
effect. and m combination OF bran
and boiled rice will often check wha;
might otherwise become a serious cpl
demic OF diarrhea. Charcoal also will.
be found OF great aiu In preventing
this trouble.
Where boiled rtos and milk are no.
sufficient 20 correct the tendency 20 d'ar-
rhea q mild etimulant. such as ground
mustard. cayenne pepper or ginger. may
be added, only enough being mixed with
the soft food 10 be noticeable to tho
Taste. This may be given as long as
conditions require its use, but no longer.
Serious liver disorders may result from
TOO long continued use OF pepper or gin
ger.
Chicks suffering from d!arrhrs usually
have symptoms which are not difficult
10 recognize. The chicks seem 20 be
weak and to possess little vitality.
Within a few days there Is a thin. whit
,sh discharge. which soon becomes sticky
and clogs the vent or there may he
only a streak OF whitish substance ad-
herring TO the down.
The lack OF vitality becomes more APP
parent as the disease progresses. The
infected chicks become ~listless and aud
die together. They seem 10 be chilly
and spend much time beneath the hover
or the mother hen. Tho appetite 's
lost. the wings droop and the feathers
are ruiied.
As a rule the chicks which resist the
disease are never able 10 make up tho
loss due to this early disease. although
they may become fully developed.
Every effort should be made 10 elimi-
nate from the flock all birds that have
at any time been infected with disease.
Perhaps the easiest way to do this Is to
mark plainly and permanently every
chick which makes unsatisfactory devel-
opment or that has ever suffered from
disease. This Is the only means TO
prevent tho breeding iock from receiving
recruits which are unsatisfactory. II
this system Is rigidly followed II prob
ably will eliminate nearly all OF tho
infected specimens, Such marking should
he done AT the time when the weakling
is observed and not be delayed until
later when the chick may seem TO have
recovered, Every bird that has shown
the results OF infection at any time
during its life should be excluded from
the breeding flocks.
Chicks Of this kind may easily be
marked by punching the webs between
tho toes. II all the webs are used for
keeping records the lower Joint of one
OF the smaller toes may be removed,
Such an operation seems 70 cause l!ttle
pain or inconvenience 20 the chick and
the mark Ia one that cannot be over
looked when the time ome for select
ing the breeding stock,
Every poultryman should understand
that the general health OF his fiocks,
both young and Did birds, depends In i
large measure upon his system OF man
aeement. Perfect physical condition is
n barrier against most diseases II is
all important, therefore, that the health
and vigor of the breeding stock shall
he carefully preserved and the chicks
from which this sock Ia renewed shall
have every painstak'ng care and s'ten-
ton so that they will resist the infec-
ton of disease and grow thrifty and
strong,
Good matches OF strong vigorous chicks
must come from breeding stock having
strong and vigorous constitutions. This
statement cannot he made TOO omphdt-
iCally. as the success or failure Of the