PROGRESSIVE POULTRY CULTURE 81 



and the chicks have to be trained to go under the hover 

 for warmth. The space allowed outside the hover, the 

 first day should be small. A board set on edge in front 

 of the hover and confining the chicks to a space within 

 one foot of the hover curtain will be large enough. The 

 chicks are thus prevented from wandering too far from 

 the warm hover. 



Sometimes, if no board confines them near the hov- 

 er, they run out into the exercising compartment of the 

 brooder and collect in a place that the sun shines upon, 

 finding thus a pleasing substitute for the mother hen's 

 hovering. When the sun moves away, however, th 

 chicks are likely to stay in the same spot, having for- 

 gotten the warm hover. If they feel chilly they begin 

 to crowd together and may pile upon each other in their 

 efforts to keep warm by contact with one another. If 

 this crowding continues some of the chicks are liable 

 to go under .and become suffocated or crushed to death. 

 If this occurs in a corner of the brooder where there is 

 the least chance to escape the crush, many of the chicks 

 may become injured or killed. 



Careful attention the first day easily prevents such 

 accidents. The little chicks may be readily trained to 

 run under the hover when they wish to warm up. When- 

 ever they run out into the exercising space and begin to 

 bunch together and crowd each other it is time to gently 

 push them back under the hover. Repeating this oper- 

 ation a few times is all that is necessary to teach them 

 the way to find warmth and comfort. 



, By the second day they should be well enough 

 trained so that they may be given the run of the brood- 

 er. 



After having learned where to find the warm hover 

 it is desirable that they remain in it as little as possible, 

 going there in the day time only to warm up when 

 necessary. The temperature of the brooder outside the 

 hover may well be kept high enough so that the chicks 

 running about and scratching in the chaff* and sand keep 

 comfortable without hovering. To encourage this ac- 



