The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-05-28
BY H. Armstrong Roberts

Rearing young stock is the most
troublesome phase of poultry keep
ing, because it requires the closest
attention to details. Then, too, baby
chicks seem like such helpless, frail
little creatures that they are the OBJ
ject of much concern especially to the
beginner. A certain mystery attaches
to the undertaking. That probably
accounts for most of the fears.
In reality artificial brooding is
quite simple and it is almost sure OF
success, provided the stock is vigor-
Gus and a few elemental facts are
borne in mind However, there is
comfort in knowing that once chick
is weaned from the brooder, which
period lasts from four to six weeks.
fowl
Hatch all the chicks you can during
March, April and May, and the prob
lens of brooaing are greatly simpli-
fed, because conditions at this time
are naturally favorable. The weather
is CD your side, also plant life, because
it is fresh and appetizing.
Feed Little But Often
Proper nourishment is the secret OF
successful brooding. Chicks require
great deal of food in relation to their
size, but do not mistake this to mean
in front of them On the contrary,
they must be fed in small quantities.
Feed little but often is the slogan to
be adopted in the brooder.
This is particularly important with
chicks which are confined indoors, or
an affection known as leg weakness
is likely to result. Chicks on free
range are not susceptible to this all
ment Leg weakness comes from eX-
cessive feeding without sufficient ex-
ercise; the bodies of the chicks be-
come too heavy for the muscles and
bones of the legs, consequently the
chicks are unable to stand or walk.
AS shown in a preceding article
chicks should not be fed until the
second or third day after they have
Matched, or until they have had a
chance to assimilate the yolk of the
egg, which process is the last develop
ment in Incubation, intended to sus-
tain the chick until tits strong enough
to get about.
The first meal should consist of
bread crumbs andd hard boiled eggs,
ground fine shells and all, johnnycake
or pinhead oatmeal
Foods moistened with milk are of
great value in giving the chicks u
good start, but the mixtures must be
fed in a crumbly state, never in a
cloppy condition. 1t is also important
to feed these mixtures fresh. Do not
mix up large quantity and then al
low it to stand around until it turns
bad.
Many breeders are having good re-
suits by giving the chicks milk and no
water for the first week or ten days.
There is no objection to giving this
food as soon as the chicks are placed
in the brooder.
Sour milk should be fed just as it
begins to thicken and before it sepa-
rates, as the chicks like it better in
this condition Milk is more than a
food; it contains Tactic acid, which
tends to prevent and correct diarrhea
and kindred bowel troubles. 1t should
be placed before the chicks in shallow
pans or founts, so designed that the
birds cannot wasle in the milk or con-
taminate it.
Give light feeding at first, at inter-
walls of two or three hours, so that
the brood receives four or five meals
a day In three or four days, if the
meals have consisted of soft food,
gradually substitute a scratch grain
mixture of cracked wheat, finely