CHICKS FROM DYING IN THE SHELL 15 



heat gradually and still keep the flock comfortable. If the chicks crowd 

 to the warmest part of the brooder and pile up, it is an indication of too 

 low a temperature. If they move about with drooping wings and 

 open mouths and sit outside of the hover, then the temperature is too 

 high. There is no regularity known that will give as good satisfaction as 

 the chicks themselves, as their actions will easily demonstrate whether 

 they are too cold or too hot. The ventilators should be left part way open 

 to admit fresh air, but no set rule could be given here just how wide they 

 should be left open, as there are many different makes of brooders and 

 much depends on the weather as well as the location of the brooder. The 

 brooder should be kept absolutely clean, removing the sand and chaff every 

 other day. Chicks in a good brooder, if furnished with pure, warm air at 

 all times, and if the brooder be kept clean, will thrive and grow very rap- 

 idly, while on the other hand, if the brooder becomes filthy you may expect 

 to lose nearly the entire hatch. The gas that rises from a filthy brooder is 

 very poisonous to little chicks and causes dysentery. This becomes con- 

 tagious and will go through your whole flock if you do not remove the 

 afflicted chicks and clean and disinfect your brooders and brooder houses. 

 This can be done with lime and sulphur. Whitewash your brooders and 

 brooder houses with fresh lime. Air-slacked lime will not do; it is not 

 strong enough. Then fumigate with sulphur. Remove your chicks to a 

 place where they will be comfortable while this work is going on. The 

 brooder must be dry before placing the chicks in it again. The white- 

 wash will answer a double purpose; it will destroy mites and lice as well as 

 cleanse your house and brooder. If you will always place a newspaper in 

 the brooder before putting in the sand and chaff it will be a great deal 

 easier cleaned. When your chicks are two weeks old you can use hay or 

 straw instead of sand on your brooder floors. Change it twice a week until 

 they are three weeks old, then once a week will do. Watch for mites; they 

 can get in their deadly work in a very short time. They breed and accumu- 

 late very fast and will sap the lives of your little chicks before you hardly 

 know it. Keep your lamp burners clean, also your wicks. Dirty wicks are 

 often the cause of brooder lamps exploding. You can clean your lamp 

 burners by boiling them in strong soap suds. Put your sand in pans and 

 place in the oven and heat it. It will not take so long to heat the brooder 

 if sand is thus warmed, before placing it in the brooder. 



When to Remove Chicks to the Brooder 



IF you have a good hatch, your incubator will become crowded before the 

 hatch is done. Remove all the strong chicks that seem dissatisfied and 

 crowd to the front of the incubator to the brooder that you have 

 heated and prepared for them according to directions. Take from 



