The Bingham County news. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1918-1930, 1923-04-13
RAISING BABY CHICKS

Until you get to point where you
have a good breeding stock and pretty
good equipment, and wish to raise
chickens in large quantities, would
suggest that you buy baby chicks,
1t will be cheaper for you to buy baby
chicks than to hatch them. 1t doeA
not pay to hatch chicks in small bum
ches and your hens should be laying.
If you are going to raise 500 pullets
you will probably want to buy 1900
chicks. You can readily see that il
would require considerable incuba.
ton space to hatch them unless you
are going into the baby chick business
you should buy your chicks from
some good hatchery. You should then
prepare for the chicks to arrive. Get
the chicks all at one time if possible
and it is best to get them about the
first of April or earlier. You should
build regular brooder house. For
get your notions and follow the plans
outlined by those who have tried out
the different kinds of houses. Be sure
tlidI yOul DlOOuCi hCoeo thO SbiSho
from the top and not from the bottom.
1t is natural for the heat to be on
their backs and not on their feet. A
brooder house should be properly
built. A house for 1000 chicks should
be 16x32 feet partitioned in the mid
room properly ventilated. The light
should be admitted from the north
side of the building. Do not admit
the light from the south side as his
will make sun spots on the floor md
the baby chicks will crowd onto these
sun spots and smother themselves.
Puts shades on the windows so that
you can darken the room and keep IT
dark most Of the time when the chicks
are very small so that they will rest.
There is no type of brooder better
than the canopy coal stove brooder.
The kerosene breeders are fine but
they are very expensive to operate.
Personally prefer the Buckeye brood
er. I have used them for years ana
like them, but l have every reason
to believe that there is a dozen others |
that are just as good. Get a SOFT |
coal brooder as you cannot get the |
anthracite coal here very well. If
you will put a little coke in you with |
get better results.
Before your chicks arrive be sure
hat your brooder house is warm ana |
Try. Start it early enough so that ali !
he moisture will be taken up off the
loor. What the little chicks need Is
warmth and rest. The next day, when
hey are so hours old raise the cover
ind give them warm water to drink. |
Take little aotmeal and scatter # !
over the floor, not so much to feea
hem, but just to teach them to eat.
cannot tell you just how much to
laa. you will have to use feeding /
smonc. would say that for 500
hicks I would take a handful OF roll
ed oats and sprinkle it around the
loor. If you have plenty of milk l
would use milk instead Of water. Let
hem pick at the oats little while
md then put down the blinds so they
will rest. The second day they should
De fed five times. But be sure they do
not get too much and Il is important
hat they do not overeat,, The third
lay feed them little wheat gradually |
the wheat day by day and
On the sixth dy set the mash hopper |
before them one hour, the next day |
two hours and by the 10th day leave
the mash before them all the time.
In two weeks you should have them |
On the grain feed entirely and elimin-
ate the rolled oats. Feed what oats |
you feed in the mash but do not over |
feed on oats, Oats builds muscle but !,
1t does not build bone. If they are
fed too much oats their legs will get |
weak. Feed them wheat and corn
wien they are three or four weeks !!
old. Teach them to eat whole corn. |
It is not a good practice to chop up
the feed for baby chicks. ,r should
'iSe .-.vm primarily on mash and
tooch tham Ia eat feeds they are 60