CONSTRUCTION 



Buying Baby Chicks 



By H. D. WHITE, 

 Secretary, International Baby Chick Association. 



There are certain outstanding advantages for the aver- 

 age poultry keeper in buying baby chicks. Many who are 

 engaged in the poultry business, exclusively or as a side- 

 line, are handicapped in keeping all the poultry they could 

 properly and profitably care for by the problem of renewing 

 their flocks annually. It is a question of quantity and qual- 

 ity alike. 



Hatching under hens is out of the question except in 

 special cases and with small breeders, and there are certain 

 limitations even then. Setting hens need careful watching 

 to obtain the best results and frequently the returns are 

 exceedingly disappointing. 



Incubators of all sorts, sizes and prices are obtainable 

 and apparently simple in operation. But so much depends 

 upon local conditions and the ability of the operator to use 

 and understand them that artificial hatching still must be 

 classed as a special "art," requiring an experienced hand 

 properly to turn the trick. 



With hens and with incubators there is always the un- 

 certainty of getting a good sized hatch of strong husky 

 chicks that will develop to profitable maturity. Both require 

 the time of the poultry keeper just at the season of the year 

 when everything else is pressing. Buying baby chicks, how- 

 ever, does away with all this. It eliminates the question of 

 "where'll I find a broody hen to set" on the eggs just at the 

 right time. Break up the broody hens and make them go 

 pn producing more eggs. It eliminates the necessary invest- 

 ment in hatching equipment that is used less than one-third 

 of the year. 



Buying baby chicks practically insures the certainty 

 of supply. There is no worry over hatching results. It is 

 possible to buy just as few or just as many chicks as are 

 desired at one time. This means an equal chance for each 

 chick to develop normally, and the even maturity of the 



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