The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1917-04-09
CARE OF THE HEN AND CHICKENS

Washington, d. c., April 6-The
proper brooding of chickens is one of
the most difficult operations on many
poultry farms, especially for the be-
ginner. Many poultry keepers who
are able to obtain good egg yields and
fair matches make failure of BROOD
ing chickens, either in raising only a
small percentage of the chickens
Matched or in failing to rear strong,
vigorous birds which develop into
good breeding stock. Brooding is still
in the experimental stage, and no one
system has given perfect satisfaction
The poultry specialists of the U. S.
Department of Agriculture advise the
following procedure
Rearing Chickens With Hens
Sitting hens should be confined to
slightly darkened nests at Matching
time and not disturbed unless they
step on or pick their chickens when
Matching, in which case the chickens
should be removed as soon as dry, in
basket lined with flannel or some
other warm material, and kept near a
fire until all the eggs are Matched; or
the eggs may be removed and placed
under quieter hen whose eggs are
Matching at the same time.
An incubator may also be used to
keep the earliest Matched chickens
warm, in case they are removed from
the nest. If the eggs hatch unevenly,
those which are slow in Matching may
be placed under other hens, as hens
often restless after a part of the chick
ems are out, allowing the remaining
eggs to become cooled at the very time
when steady heat is necessary. Re-
move the egg shells and any eggs
which have not Matched as soon as the
Matching is over. Hens should be fed
as soon as possible after the eggs are
hatched, as feeding tends to keep them
quiet; otherwise many hens will leave
the nest. In most cases it is best that
the hen remain on the nest and brood
the chickens for at least "a hours af-
ter the Matching is over.
Powder the hen with a good insect
powder before moving her and the
chickens to the brood coop. The hen
should be busted every two weeks or
as often as necessary until the chick
ems are weaned. If lice become thick
on the chickens, or if they are trou-
bled with head lice," a very little
grease, such as lard or vaseline, may
be applied with the fingers on the
head, neck, under the wings, and
around the vent. Great care should
be taken, however, not to get too much
grease on the chickens, as it will stop
their growth and in some cases may
prove fatal.
The brood coop should be cleaned at
least once a week and kept free from
mites. If mites are found in the coop,
1t should be thoroughly cleaned and
sprayed with kerosene oil or crude pc
troleum. From l to inches of sand
or dry dirt or thin layer of straw or
fine hay should be spread on the floor
of the coop. Brood coops should be
moved weekly to fresh ground, pre-
ferably where there is new grass.
Shade is very essential in rearing
chickens, especially during warm
weather. therefore, the coops should
be placed in the shade whenever pos
sible. A cornfleld makes fine range
for young chickens, as owing to cult
vation of the ground, they get many
bugs and worms and have fresh soil
to run on most of the time and enjoy
abundant shade.
All the chickens should be toe
punched or marked before they are
transferred to the brooder or brood
coop. 80 that their ages and breeding
readily can be determined after they