The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-30
ONLY MODERATE CARE NEEDED
 IN RAISING SUMMER CHICKS
No Cause for Anxiety if the Amateur Will Adopt Ger tain Well Defined Prac- tices-Avoid Overcrowd- ing and Provide Shade
By MICHAEL K. BOYER
Copyright. 1915.

Amateur poultry raisers attribute the many failures to raise summer chicks to a variety of causes. most of which have little or no foundation in fact
 Prevent overcrowding." says Mir. Boy CT. Give them plenty of fresh air and shade and water. Feed them sensibly and according to prescribed formulas and Noun have no trouble"
 Read what MT. Boyer has to say on this subject in today's story
 There is profit in summer matched chicks if they are carefully and econom-
 cally raised, But there are obstacles in rearing chicks during hot weather that do not present themselves in the cooler months of early spring. If these draw backs are met at the right time and in the right way it is surprising what good stock can be secured, and that, too, at a season when eggs are very cheap
 Where one has a large old orchard he has an ideal spot for raising summer hens right out under these trees, in bar rels laid on their sides. with lath-run in front. After the hatch Is over the barrels can be cleaned out, new soil thrown in, and the hen and her brood can make this their home until large enough to be moved to other quarters
 On this shady range the youngsters will not mind the heat and they will secure grass and insects galore. Everything else being equal. chicks are bound to grow rapidly under such circumstances Where the old orchard Is not available
 corn field will serve the purpose. After the corn is about three feet high the coops can be scattered about the field, same as in the orchard
 Canopies Can Be Used for Shade
 Now where the land is more limited where the old orchard does not exist and the cornfeld would be out of cees- ton: in fact, where the territory is very limited and where natural shade is not extensive canopies can be erected-prac- tically only roof supported by four strong posts. one in each corner This contrivance should be not more than two feet high. and since there are no sides
 the cool air will come through, if there is any air at all. Shade Is one of the greatest factors in raising summer chicks Without it failure Is sure to come.
 Next in importance to shade comes fresh air. Begin right. Grow the chicks
 out In the open. Housing in close-fitting
 coops at night will not successfully raise summer chicks. Where there Is danger of night proving animals 1t Is best to have the fronts of these sheds composed
 of one-inch wire netting. This will keep out the enemy. but allow plenty of fresh air. I don't believe in sraisng chickens to roost on trees all night to endure all | sorts of weather. I never yet heard .' a sensible argument in favor of such a practice.
 | A mistake SO many beginners make is | in overorow ding the f1ocks. OvercrowG- l Ing Is the direct cause of many vices sue | as toe pulling feather eating, etc. Leg horn raisers have much tr' uble with this oe-pulling habit. and hundreds of chicks are lost in consequence-where over
 crowding is permitted. The same can be | said of Wyandotte raisers when they l have too many chicks in a coop-only 4 | is fea ther- pulling instead of toe-pulling that the latter must contend with. Over crcwding produces sickness, and it makes
 weak chicks.
 Use Tobacco Stems and Disinfectant
 But the greatest drawback to summer chick culture Is vermin-unless proper precautions are taken from the start l believe that one of the greatest insecti- cides Is tobacco stems. T use them freely. They are used exclusively in the nests of the laying hens as well as in the nests of the broody hens. The heat of the bodies of these hens sends the tobacco fumes up through the feathers, choking to death el insect life. Contrary to the opinion of some people, the tobacco fumes do not In the least hurt the egg or the chick But I do not rely entirely upon tobacco