324 



NATURAL INCUBATION AND BROODING 



in a short time. Where skim-milk is available, it is well to give 

 the chicks all of it they wish to drink. Unless they have access 

 to green grass (Fig. 154) in the runs, a little chopped lettuce or 

 other green feed should be furnished. In the absence of any fine 

 sand or gravel on the floor of the coop, chick grit should be supplied. 

 After the first few weeks the ration can be gradually simplified 

 and made less expensive. Cracked corn or wheat should serve as 

 its basis, in addition to which the chicks should be given animal 

 and green feed, also grit. The feeding of young stock naturally 

 hatched is a much more simple proposition than the feeding of 

 artificially hatched chicks in the brooder; for, in the first case, the 

 hen sees to their welfare to a great extent. (For principles and 



methods of chick feeding see 

 Chapter XXI.) 



Chick Ration. — A good ra- 

 tion for the first week for chicks 

 brooded by the hen contains 

 equal parts of cracked corn, 

 crushed wheat, and oatmeal. 



Put the feed where the hen 

 cannot reach it, she being given 

 three times daily a grain ration 

 of equal parts of corn and 

 wheat. During the second and 

 succeeding weeks gradually 

 eliminate the oatmeal, and as 

 the chicks grow larger substi- 

 tute whole wheat for the crushed. After the first week begin to 

 give them dry mash similar to that used in artificial brooding. 



Parasites. — One great evil to which naturally hatched chicks 

 are prone is the presence of lice, notably head lice, which if in 

 great numbers sap the vitality, weaken the constitution, and stunt 

 the growth. The best means of ridding chicks of lice is to grease 

 the head with lard or carbolized vaseline; this will not only drive 

 the lice away, but tend to keep others from coming. Unless the 

 parent is kept well dusted, chicks are also infested at an early age 

 by body lice, and, for this reason, it is well to dust the hen at 

 regular intervals of about two weeks until the chicks are weaned. 

 Weaning and Separation of Sexes. — As soon as the chicks are 

 old enough to look out for themselves, the hen should be removed, 

 for two reasons : Because if put back in the pen she will soon begin 



Fig. 154. — An average-sized flock by nat- 

 ural incubation. (Photo by Kellerstrass Farm, 

 Kansas City.) 



