86 HATCHING. 



milk. This baptism is used by way of a prophylac- 

 tic against catching cold, to which young chicks are 

 so peculiarly liable ; but it is a practice which I have 

 never used, and from which, in severe weather, I 

 should suspect danger ; however, their being in- 

 stantly thereafter wrapped in wool or flannel may 

 secure them. The turkey, from sitting so close and 

 steadily, hatches more regularly and quickly than 

 the common hen. 



The hen and brood must be HOUSED during a 

 month or six weeks, dependent upon the state of the 

 weather. First FOOD, curd or eggs boiled hard and 

 chopped, and oat or barley-meal kneaded with milk, 

 and frequently renewed with clear water, rather than 

 milk, which often scours them. In case of the 

 chicks appearing sickly and the feathers ruffled, in- 

 dicating a chill from severity or change of weather, 

 we generally allowed half ground malt with the 

 barley-meal, and by way of a medicine, powdered 

 caraway or coriander seeds. Also ARTIFICIAL WORMS, 

 or boiled meat pulled into strings, in running after 

 which the chicks have a salutary exercise. It is to 

 be noted, that the above diet is beneficial for every 

 other species of chicks, equally with the turkey. 



Superfluous moisture, whether external or inter- 

 nal, is death to chickens, therefore all slop victuals 

 should be rigorously avoided. The utmost CLEAN- 

 LINESS is necessary, and a dry GRAVELLED layer is 

 most proper. A fresh TURF of short sweet grass 

 daily, cleared from snails or slugs, which will scour 

 young chicks, is very pleasing and comfortable to 

 them, and promotes their health. The above sub- 



