PROGRESSIVE POULTRY CULTURE 83 



nant moisture or excess of moisture in the atmosphere 

 and under foot tends to decomposition and decay, to 

 fungous growth, moldiness and the development of bad 

 odors and filthiness. It favors the growth of disease 

 germs. The chicks are liable to catch cold under such 

 conditions and serious sickness may result. On the 

 other hand excessive dryness of the air and especially of 

 the floor boarding and of the sand upon it particularly 

 if there is artificial heat beneath the flooring, tends to 

 drying out and shrinking of the feet and shanks of the 

 little chicks. It is an excellent plan to keep the sand of 

 the brooder or of the exercising place outside the brood- 

 er, wet in one or more places. The chicks will spend 

 some time standing or scratching in the moist spots if 

 they find them attractive and the water continually 

 evaporating will help to keep the atmosphere from get- 

 ting too dry. Good ventilation should accompany mois- 

 ture, causing it to keep in motion and preventing stag- 

 nation. 



Cleanliness: Watchfulness is necessary in the care 

 of the brooders to avoid everything tending to unhealthy 

 and unthrifty conditions. If a chick dies in the hot 

 hover it should be quickly removed. The hover should 

 have fine sand or sandy loam strewn on the floor daily. 

 Once a week the brooder should be cleaned out and fresh 

 litter put in. To destroy disease germs and parasites 

 in the brooder use a spray pump or a whisk broom to 

 sprinkle the interior parts with a two per cent, solution 

 of carbolic acid or fumigate the empty, tightly closed 

 brooder with burning brimstone. 



On pleasant days remove the hover covers and lay 

 them underside up, out of doors, in the sunshine, at mid- 

 day for several hours. If body-lice get upon the chicks, 

 dust them clear to the skin with fresh, fin Pyre thrum 

 powder (Persian Insect Powder, obtainable at drug 

 shops). 



FEEDING LITTLE CHICKS. 



White or bright chick grit, grains of v coarse sand or 

 fine gravel or granulated bone may be strewn on a -board 



