Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-03-04

artificial Matching OF chicks at one time.
the poultry industry has been given Its
progress by this very means Where a
hcn' will hatch and brood dozen
chicks. an incubator and broodcr will
hatch and protect hundreds Of chicks.
Tho mother hen is not To lie dcspiscd.
however. because Of tho lessons she
can teach in caring for her brood: the
incubator and broodcr should be ham
died I'm imitation OF her Ways Tho
basis Of success with poultry lies in
the care OF chicks for the first TWO
weeks
\ baby chick performs its frs, func-
tons instinttvcly. II hovcrs under
tho hen where II is warmest and in
ths least danger Of being crushed by
her weight. If chick goes abroad
II soon becomes distressed and is glad
10 respond TO the rlmck OF the mother
hen by seeking refuge in her warm
feathers. IT lief, undisturbcd q baby
chick viii not be able To obtain food
for 81 least forty eight hours. nature
has provided for it, nourishment by
means OF tho yolk Of tho cee. which
will. sustain tho chick for the FIRST
two days OF its life.
These arc the lessons in carly care
and broodinE which natural incubation
teaches. sufficient warmth IN early
hroodinr is the first step in tho sue
cesSful handling Of chicks in art fetal
Incubation. The process Of Matching is
simple enough, hut tho broodinG Of
young chicks il likely 10 prove more or
less troub; some Whenever possible
newly Matched chicks should he allowed
10 remain in tho incubator for about
'wcnty-four hours By all means avoid
chilling tho chicks al the start.
Next t. warmth come Ventilation aud
cleanliness. As soon aa tho Matching
is over shells and Unmatched eggs
should be removed from the incubator
~ ns No t,ir oil,
lated TO range between 100 and TO-
\ degrees. Fresh air in abundance should
be admitted Baby chicks need oxygen
not only IL strengthen their lungs bu,
10 purify their blood. The incubator
should be kept dark in imitation Of
natural incubation II the machine has
glass door. hang a thick cloth over
II 10 darkcn IN" interior
DRAFT ON TIL: CHICKS
SHOULD III: AVOIDED
IN tenncrinE The warmth with fresh
air. care should to exercised not to
cause draft on the chicks. THIS an
plies while tho little fellows arc in
tho Incubator ana after they have boon
removed 10 tho b:oodcr. Fresh ain
should he supplied freely. but draft.
and damrncss must he avoided The
! ventilation should bc arranged 10 carry
on carbon dioMidc and other poison.
ous gases
Refor" tho commandments 81 the
Matching season every part OF In.
hroodf should hc thoroughly cleaned
aud c> mined. The careful poultry
kccp'r Viii no; place baby chicks in
brood.r without hrs, having tested
lis heating device for AZ least twenty
four hours This applies 10 both oiu
aud new breeders.
" the heating device j. new 10 the
operator. II should be studied aud tried
before tho hrocdcr Is used Then IL
tic correct temperature can DC main
tanned. tho nov hrocdcr may ic re-
Sardcd as safe for tho chicks. ~ pro-
vidlnE for tho proper degree Of warmth
the directions 81 thc broodcr manufac-
turer should hc followed.
IL All old broodcr is t. bc used. doA't
assume that 1t Viii work this season
because i, did last year. Some part
may have become rusty. broken OF lost.
] have known a whole brood To he
lost in this way
The matter OF proper hroodor warmth
is also important. II tho season is
carly that severe changes OF out
side temperature are likely TO occur.
care should bc taken that the broodrr
has q suncicn, amount of rcscrv" hca,
TO meet this condition. The chicks are
oftou chilled and lost result OF
rapid changes in tho weather.
The correct temperature for baby
chicks is from 80 to 100 degrees The
broOUer SnOulu DC started At tho llEHcf
temperature and reduced Il degree or SO
daily until the chicks arc two or three
weeks old. y broader that Will regis
ter 100 degrees, an inch above tho floor
line. under adverse weather conditions
will usually prove safe and satisfac-
tory.
SHOULD nj TRAINED
TO FAKE TO HOVER
Baby chicks must be broken 10 the
hover. They have no mother hen to
call them But they soon become crca-
lures Of habit II properly handled at
thce beginning. The poultry raiser
muSt train them. and here is where
patience is required. The new brood
should nc trained to take TO the hover
al It would seek warmth and protection
at the call of mother hen.
Chicks should he removed from the
incubator 10 the hroodcr at night. Not
only arc they easier handled when il ia
dark, but they arc more likely 10 re-
malp where they are put under the
hover For the first night or two they
should be confined rather closely TO the
hover for this reason
If'not carefully watched for tho first
,wo-or three days. chicks may huddle
assrcther in a corner % the ,brooder.
where they arc likely TO get chilled.
or starmplc one another to DEATH iii
their cffor, TO keep warm. II only
takes a couple OF days TO tram thcm
10 take to the hover. The poultry
raiser cannot afford to discontinue his
care and watchfulness, however. if he
expects to succeed with his young
brood.
For tho first few days chicks need
rest more than anything else. IL sun
light enters tho hroodcr, they Will
spend hours at time huddlcd to-
sether enjoying tho natural warmth
This is good for them as II helps TO
strengthen them. Whenever possible
tho brooder should be moved so as
10 a How the sunshine TO fall near the
lover or In the warmcst part OF the
broodcr. Since the chicks will surely
seek the sunlight. the aim should be
10 so arrange the broodcr that they
will not become chilled rs tho sun
moves away.
uyERFEEDING WORSE
THAN UNDERWRITING
AS previously stated. nature pro-
vidcs for a. chicks nourishment for the
first two three days Of life. Chicks
should he given neither food nor drink
for the first forty-cight hours. IL fed
sooner 1t Will be harmful and not help
FT-I