BROILERS AND ROASTERS. 77- 



temperature at which they ought to be comfortable, well 

 spread out under the pipes. A little litter on the floor and 

 a handful or two of grain in this for the chicks to work for 

 will often make a surprising change in their behavior 

 toward the heat. This scratching grain should be givens 

 even when most of the food is fed in troughs or hoppers* 

 The chicks will often leave the grain that is easy to get and 

 scratch busily for what can only be obtained by working 

 for it. It is the chick nature to do that way. Compulsory- 

 scratching is not needed for small chicks unless they have 

 become so sluggish that they will take no exercise until 

 forced to do so, but the opportunity to scratch should 

 always be given brooder chicks until they are to be fattened- 

 With abundance of food to be had without scratching they 

 will exercise just about enough to keep them in condition. 

 Many a time I have seen a brooder full of chicks cured of 

 a mysterious indisposition by simply giving them oppor- 

 tunity and slight inducement to take exercise. 



It is especially necessary to look out for this when the 

 chicks are confined constantly or for long periods indoors. 

 When they get out the change from inner to outer air stim- 

 ulates them, the sun is a tonic, and there is variety enough 

 in their little lives to keep them in motion, but in the house 

 on dull days they want something special to do. 



When chicks go " off their feed " and eat mincingly, 

 though there seems nothing in particular wrong, it is apt 

 to be because they are overfed, and nothing will bring them 

 out of this quicker than to let them go without feed until 

 they are ready to eat with appetite. If they have been fed 

 every two hours or so, skipping a single meal often gives^ 

 their digestive apparatus a chance to adjust itself for a fresh 

 start. If food is kept before them constantly, and they da 



