The Machine as a Mother. 37 



17 Give no food the first 36 hours. Then allow rolled oats, 

 scattered for them to pick up, and also stale bread-crumbs 

 dipped in fresh milk, which should be placed in little troughs. 

 After the fourth day give the bread and milk as a morning 

 meal, rolled oats at noon, and cracked wheat and cracked corn 

 at night. Occasionally allow a little chopped eggs or meat. 



18. After they are ten days old feed them anything they will 

 eat, compelling them to scratch for as much as possible. 



19. Water must be given in a manner to avoid allowing the 

 chicks to become wet. Grit, such as pounded shells, broken 

 china, or any sharp, hard material, should be kept always 

 within reach of them. 



20. The main requirement is warmth. When the chicks 

 crowd together at night, it indicates alack of warmth. When 

 they separate under the brooder it indicates that they are 

 comfortable. In winter the warmth under a brooder should 

 not be less than go degrees or over 100 degrees. As they will 

 separate, and seek the edges of the brooder, the temperature 

 should be about 95 degrees. 



21. Keep the brooders clean. Do not attempt to ventilate 

 the chicks with cold air. As a chick is close to the floor it 

 will secure all the pure air necessary. The difficulty will be 

 to avoid the cold draughts instead of inviting them. 



22. Always examine your lamps, or sources of heat, as well 

 as the position of the chicks in the brooder, about bed-time, 

 and come out very early in the morning for the same purpose. 



23. Feed a variety of food if possible ; but cracked wheat and 

 cracked corn should not be omitted after the chicks are old 

 enough to eat them. For green food in winter use clover hay, 

 cut very fine, and scalded. Milk, when fresh, may always be 

 allowed, but never when sour. When bowel disease appears 

 feed boiled rice ; but as bowel disease is nearly always due to 

 lack of warmth, the heat in the brooders is the important 

 point. 



