CHAPTER IV 

 Brooding 



The successful brooding of chickens depends upon 

 conditions which may be divided into two groups. 



One group is the combination of influences which 

 decide whether the chicks shall be well hatched or not. 



The other group includes the influences acting upon 

 the chicks during the actual brooding period of their 

 lives. 



It is not true that the influences of the first group 

 affect only the embryo chick and cease to have effect 

 after hatching. On the contrary, chicks well hatched 

 are half brooded. 



LIVELY AND LISTLESS CHICKS. 



The chicks themselves are the best indicators of 

 their condition and of their chances of future growth 

 to profitable age. 



Healthy, hungry, vigorous chicks that have come 

 out of the shells on time and are decidedly lively, will 

 grow thriftily throughout the brooding period under 

 reasonably favorable conditions of management. 



Weak, inactive chicks that appear sleepy or stupid, 

 are thirsty but not hungry, hug the heat and walk 

 with tottering gait, not having been properly started 

 in life, will dwindle, diminish and die in spite of per- 

 fect conditions of brooding. Even the best of care and 

 faultless surrounding conditions can not save them, 

 and if they could be saved and grown they would prob- 

 ably prove to be profitless poultry. 



Mistakes before Incubation: Some of the condi- 

 tions which injuriously affect the chicks during the 

 incubating period of the eggs and reduce the chances 

 of successful growth during the brooding stage, are 

 the following: Using weak or immature parent stock, 



