Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-02

1t is well to overhaul all the poultry
farm buildings preparatory to mating
up the breeding pens and thoroughly
clean. spray and whitewash every
thing. Good results cannot be expected
from a flock that is made to live in a
building infested with vermin and filth
nor where there is danger of contract
ing disease from foul floors, feed
troughs and watering devices. The
roosting compartments. perches, nests
and all other apparatus should be
sprayed, painted or scrubbed with a
strong disinfectant.
Be sure to get after the brooder
house with unusual care. There is no
greater handicap for a brood of chicks
than vermin-lice and mites. Many
houses. unsupported, fairly swarm with
them, and thorough, persistent work is
necessary to rid the premises of these
pests. If the house can be made tight,
fumigate with the sulphur: IL not
whitewash with hot lime, and to every
gallon of the liquid add an ounce of
crude carbolic acid. Use crude car
bolic acid. not the refined product, for
looking liquid-contains tar oil. which
is to be desired.
AS common sense dictates, the incu-
cleaned. disinfected and tested before
the seasons Matching is started. In all
probability the machine has not been
touched since the last Matching was
taken Off in June of the season before.
in which case it is quite likely to be
very dusty and soiled. To disinfect
properly remove all diaphragms, trays
and other movable parts. give them a
good washing or spraying with warm
water containing disinfectant and put
n
spray the interior of the machine in
the same way and do not replace the
trays and diaphragms until the inside
of the machine is thoroughly dry.
Never use kerosene or any other oil
in the interior of an incubator or any
liquid. in fact. which will not evapo-
rate comparatively quickly. The odor
are fatal to the embryo chicks. When
the machine is cleaned, dried and aired
see that it is level and IN good working
order, and to insure further against
trouble it would be advisable to light
the lamp or stove and operate it for a
few days to make any observations or
adjustments as to the heating mocha
nism and regulating appliances.
Another good plan Is to test the ac-
curacy of the thermometers, for many
matches have been lost in incubators
due to the inaccuracy of simply de-
gree in the thermometer.
If poultryman is raising Legherns
or other lightweight breeds he will not
have to commence Matching prepara-
tions as early as the fellow who is
breeding Plymouth Rocks. April and
May are the two best months for
Matching Leghorns, whereas Rocks and
other heavy breeds should be started
in February and March.
The advent of several hundred brood
er chicks means that all other plans
are subservient to them for the first
two weeks of their life. Plan ahead
so that the household work need not
interfere in any way with giving them
full care, especially for the first four
or five days. 1t will be found that
when chicks can be kept growing
steadily until six weeks of age there
is little trouble afterward.
Warmth is of first Importance for
these downy babies. With valua BILE
hatch, examine the temperature sew
eral times each night until five days
of age. Keep the temperature in the
brooder close to 100 degrees during the
first week, and reduce this about ten
degrees during the second week.
After the third week, If the chicks
are well grown and the weather is
moderate, one successful poultry raiser
places them in fireless brooder heated