618 Missouri Agricultural Report. 



White Plymouth Rock chicks hopped out into my care. As 

 far as I can remember, their first diet consisted chiefly of grit 

 and water. The fittest survived, liowever, two pullets and a 

 cockerel, and I certainly would not entertain the thought of 

 frying them. 



Since that experience much has been learned, as it is only 

 by failure that we learn to succeed. . While Dame Nature is 

 just about perfect, some hens seem to have as much "stick- 

 ability" as some people, especially when one tries to set them 

 on high-priced eggs that the express companies have been 

 tossing about, and so the housewife must try to find the happy 

 medium. A reliable incubator will hatch a good percentage 

 with less trouble, but brooding the chicks — "Aye! there's the 

 rub!" 



I have used brooders with lamps and so-called fireless 

 brooders and find that by setting a number of old hens on the 

 same date as the incubator have let mother hen share the 

 burden of brooding the chicks. As many as forty can be given 

 to one hen in a large coop or brooder with a window and a run 

 or framework covered with small poultry wire on the top as 

 well as the sides. This saves a great deal of worry and care. 

 It keeps the older chickens out while keeping the mother hen 

 in, and when the chicks are old enough it can be pushed just 

 a little ajar from the coop during the day to allow the chicks to 

 forage. What farmer's wife has not gone out after a quick 

 shower and viewed the remains? And so I have found that 

 by keeping the mother hen enclosed in the run, especially in 

 doubtful weather, saves many chicks as well as time and some- 

 times a shower bath. It is natural for a chick to run to its 

 mother when it rains, but a brooder chick will keep on running 

 until it is thoroughly soaked. The book will tell you to tap 

 gently on the brooder, and presto! they will all fall over them- 

 selves to get in, but alas! one could stand and beat a drum. 

 The busy housewife finds that she has neither the time nor 

 patience to carry on experimental work in a drenching rain. 



Now as to the different types of chickens; every one who 

 raises poultry is generally partial to his own favorite breed, 

 or ought to be. A pure-bred chicken is a joy, but methinks 

 a mongrel is neither beholden to look upon nor fit to eat. 



After trying six or more different breeds, I decided to con- 

 tinue raising the White Plymouth Rocks, as they are an all- 



