The Holt County sentinel., 1919-04-11
Home Bureau Notes.
Cora DeVault
Emergency Home Demonstration
Agent.
DO NOT ovERCRowD THE
CHICKS.

Many poultry keepers Try 10 nfac-
tice false economy in brooding equip
ment and overcrowd the coops and
brooders used. overcrowding stunts
the chicks and paves the way for Roup
and many other poultry troubles.
Manufacturers usually over-rate the
capacity of brooders. With the small
box brooders and portable kerosene
hovers not more than fifty chicks
should be kept in one flock. Five hun
dred chicks is about the safe limit for
q brooder stove although the capacity
may be rated up to fifteen hundred
chicks. Hens should not be given
more than twenty-five chicks. Differ
ent size chicks must be kept separate.
With brooder stove many people at
tempt to raise chicks Of different ages
with the same stove. This is an un.
safe practice and results in many
heavy losses. lf only one stove is
available give the youngest chicks the
full benefit of the heat. To prevent
small chicks piling up, they should be
given access to all the area under the
hover. II Is safer TO remove the larg-
er chicks some distance from the stove
rather than to divide the heat by par
titions on each side Of the stove.
MARKING THE CHICKS.
In order TO assist in intelligent Gull
ing. the birds hatched each year
should be marked so that their age
may be easily told. The easiest meth
cd Of marking is by the use Of the toe
punch. With this instrumen, small
round hole can be punched in the web
between the toes of the chicks and will
furnish an imperishable mark. This
work should be done while the chick
Is small and the web is not tough.
Chick punchers can be secured from
poultry houses for a very small sum,
or a leather punch can be used.
WHITE DlARRHGA.
Most chicks that die have q white.
ish diarrhca. Usually this Is a symp-
tom Of poor management rather than
"A disease. Probably % per cent Of the
white diarrhea in Missouri results
from the chicks being chilled or over
fed. This trouble was found In three
flocks visited last week. In one flock
the chicks were in fireless broodcr.
This tells IT, own story. Scventy-five
pure bred chicks had died. This loss
would have paid good interest on a.
coal stove broodcr which would have
prevented the trouble. In another
flock the chicks were on bare, cold
concrete floor and were grossly over
fed. In the third flock the brooding
conditions were fine, but the chicks
had been left in tray on top Of the
incubator for one day while the brood
or was being made ready. Chilling
during the first few days Of the
chicks life greatly reduces his chances
OF living. Over-fecding during the
first few weeks Is nearly as bad as
chilling. Rc-rcad March Suggestions
on Feeding. Remember to feed Lit
tie but often" during the first week.
The treatment for white diarrhca IL
900 per cent prevention. Keep the
chicks dry and warm. II the disease
breaks OFT remove all diseased birds
and disinfect the brooder. Buttcrmilk
is the best remedy known. Give But
tcrmilk instead Of water to the affect
cd birds.
LEG WEAKNESS.
Chicks In the broodcrs often develop
the trouble known as leg weakness.
The name indicates the symptoms.
The birds sit while eating and are
unable 10 stand alone. The chief
cause of this trouble Is overlooking
the fat producing foods. which causes
the weight to increase faster than the
strength. To prevent this, feed less
corn meal, but more sour milk and
bran, and furnish the birds with plcn-
~ OF green food. Get them out on
the dirt as soon rs weather permits.
CHARCOAL, GRANULATED BONE
AND GRIT.
Charcoal Is not food, but cor
rective valuable in keeping down gases
in the digestive tract. II should be
fed in self-fecding hoppers where the
chicks may have access TO II at all
times. Gfanulated bone Is needed by
the chicks to furnish bone building
material. II should also be fed In self
feeding hoppers. Sand or fine grit
| should always be available to the
THE MEETINGS ON HOME
CONvENIENCES.
scheduled for last week were held.
The attendance for the week was l2s.
At Forbes where the meeting was held
in the evening Mr., Harvey Evans, Of
Oregon, led the community singing.
II your hardware dealer does not
carry the conveniences shown by Miss
Jensen ask them TO get them for you.
To clean silverwarc, place II in an
aluminium pan Of boiling soft water to
which u tablespoon of salt and tea
spoon Of soda has been added.
Miss Carrie l.. Pancqast, State
Home Demonstration Leader, Column
/ In.