The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-02-26
By MRS. JOHN c. MOSES. Mississinni Citv NIlss

Mississippi City, Miss.
 I The heart of every poultry keeper re- l oices when his matches are full ones. ! This joy, however, quickly turns to dis | -ress if the baby chicks do not thrive. md the successful breeding of chickens k a difficult operation, especially for 1 beginner Many poultry keepers who are able to secure good egg yields and fair hatches make a failure of breeding chick. ems, either in raising only small per- centage of the chickens matched or in failing to rear strong. vigorous prrus which develop into good breeding stock.
 Brooding with hens is the simplest and easiest way to raise a few chickens and i is the method which is used almost ex- clusively on the average farm. Artificial breeders are necessary where winter or l very early chickens are raised wuere | only Leghorns or other nonsitting breeds of poultry are kept, or where large mum : bers of chickens are raised commercially. l Sitting hens should be confined to slightly darkened nests at matching time and not disturbed unless they step on or pick their chickens when natching in which case the chickens should be re- moved as soon as dry, in a basket lined with flannel some other warm mate rial, and kept near a fire until all the l eggs are matched; or the eggs may be removed and placed under a queter hem
 
 ] 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 unGer other hens, as hens often get restless after a part of the chickens are out, all | lowing the remaining eggs to become cooled at the very time when steady heat is necessary. Remove the egg shells and any eggs which have not matched as scon as the matching is over. Hens should be fed as soon as possible after the eggs are matched, as feeding tends to kNep them quiet; otherwise many hens will I leave the nest In most cases, 1t Is b<sJ that the hen remain on the nest an1 orcod the chickens for at least 24 hours after the matching is over.
 i Powder the hen with a good insect powder before moving her and the chick i ems 10 the brood coop. The hen should | be dusted every two weeks, or as often as necessary until the chickens are weaned If lice become thick on the chickens, or if they are troubled with head lice, 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, it will | stop their growth and in some cases may prove fatal.
 The brood coop should be cleaned at least once week and kept free from mites. If mites are found in the coop, it | should be thoroughly cleaned and ! sprayed with kerosene oil or crude petrol- cum From l to inches of sand or dry 1 dirt or a thin layer of straw or fine hay 1 should be spread the floor of the 1 coop. Brood coops should be moved week ] ly to fresh ground, preferably where there ] is new grass.
 l Chickens matched during the winter should be brooded in a poultry house or I shed while the outside weather cont.tions 1 are unfavorable; after the weather be- comes settled they should be reared in | brood GOODS out of doors. Brood GOODS should made so that they can, be closed at night to keep out cats, rats and other animals, and enough ventilation should l be allowed so that the nen and chicks 1 will have plenty of fresh air.
 1 The hen should be confined in the coop until the chicks are weaned. while the