The Little River news., 1922-04-05
MRS. ". ". GARDNER ON CHICKEN FEEDING
The Cause of Chicks Dieing in the Shell and Method of Feed-
 ing Them.
(By Mrs. ", W. Gardner.)

produced under natural conditions from parent stock full of health and ,igor. The hen that laid the eggs enjoyed free range and was never sick a day of her life. Where stock is too closely confined the eggs nev- CT hatch we'll. Neither are good hatch es ever procured from stock that is not full of vigor, vitality and stamina. Many chicks die in shell during incu- bation because they have been weak ened during the greater part of this period, by too high temperature. A too low temperature is equally as bad.
 Matching eggs deteriorate very rapidly with age. Some people will save eggs for three weeks to set, then be disappointed when they fail to get good hatch. Old eggs may contain a germ to have the strength to de- velop, but never hatch. Chicks will be found dead in the shells in every stage of development. Eggs stored only a short period with small end up produce many chicks dead in the shell at matching time. In cool wea- ther ten days is the longest in which to keep eggs and get good hatches; five days in warm weather. During this period the eggs should be turn ed over daily. Never leaving small end up. Eggs with thin spots in shell never do more than have chicks dead in the shell. Lack of moisture at matching time is another great
 cause of dead chicks in she'll Rapid
 evaporation, and lack. of moisture at matching time, causes the membrane lining the inside of the shell to dry to the chicks and shell together, inn
 prisoning the chick inside of shell, suffocating it. With setting hens, a
 good way to supply needed moisture, is sprinkling the eggs with water as hot as you can bear hand in, and seeing that 'biddy' is immediately on nest. In incubators, wringing wool en cloth out of water, hot as above, putting it over eggs, and closing ma chine at once. In ten or fifteen min- utes remove the cloth, keeping ma chine open no longer than necessary. Repeat in five or six hours if neces- sary.
 Too much moisture, either drowns the chicks, or else produces an ab-
 normally weak and large one that cannot get out of the shell. The chick in this condition appear wet, the inside of the machine is wet, and the chicks fali to absorb all of the yolk properly. To remedy this do not put moisture over eggs or in machine, but throw the ventilator wide open, cool eggs longer and increase ventilation in room. Given, good fresh eggs, from properly mated strong vigorous stock which have been fed properly, and watching after the above things, good strong chicks and lots of them will fill your machine. Of course these eggs must not have been kept too warm or allowed to chill before set ting. The only difference between in- cubator chicks and those matched with hens, is the different way of matching. The chicks will thrive just alike under same conditions.
 That dread disease, white diarrhoea, is caused either from allowing the chicks to get cold or feeding too soon. Just before coming from the shell, the yolk of the egg is absorbed by the chick, and furnishes all ne- cessary food, for from 60 to 72 hours. When removed from incubator, great care must be taken not to allow them to become chilled. Good warm quart CTS should be ready to put the chicks in just as quick as removed from machine. A good way is to have some coarse sand, fine charcoal and lime q use crushed oyster shelD where they will have free access to it. When first placing them in box, or wherever you plan keeping them in, dip the bills in buttermilk, and keep it where they can have free ac- cess to it. This has tendency to clean out the digestive tract and keep them healthful. When seventytwo hours old Cor tlereabout) old, eggs boiled hard (the infertile ones are good) mashed fine, shell and all, mix ed with egg bread crumbs may be given them about six times daily, giv- ing just what they will clean up in Ia few minutes. Gradually lessen number of feeds daily, until at four weeks, they are getting three feeds daily.
 Purina Chowder kept before them