COMMON CAUSES OF DEATH IN THE BROODER 363 



Methods of Feeding. During the first week feed the above chick 

 scratch ration 4 or 5 times daily, feeding same sparingly or what 

 they will clean up and be hungry at each succeeding feeding. From 

 the third day on, keep wheat bran before them all the time. 



During the second week feed grain 3 or 4 times daily and sub- 

 stitute chick mash for the wheat bran. 



During the fifth week feed grain 2 or 4 times daily and substi- 

 tute Standardized Mash for Laying Hens for the Chick mash. 



Make all changes of feed gradually. 



Skim milk or buttermilk is considered indispensable in the 

 feeding of baby chicks especially during the first week, which period 

 is especially critical in the development of the growing chick. In 

 order to insure that all chicks become familiar with the milk and 

 secure a sufficient amount it is further recommended that no water 

 be given during the first week. If milk is available it is recom- 

 mended that its use be continued. 



Green feed should be fed after the first week. 



Common Causes of Death in the Brooder. As was previously 

 stated, a high mortality usually accompanies artificial brooding, 

 averaging from 5 to 30 per cent. But under proper brooding 

 methods it should be possible to brood, at least on the average, 

 80 per cent of vigorous chicks. These are good results. Frequently 

 cases of 95 per cent are found. Where a great los;3 occurs, it is 

 usually due to one or more of the following causes : 



Chilling. If the hover temperature during the first week 

 or two drops considerably and stays low for any length of time, 

 especially during the night when the birds are under the hover, 

 they become chilled, their body heat not sufficing to maintain 

 the right degree of temperature, and this results in digestive dis- 

 orders and a subsequently heavy death rate. The possibility of 

 this occurrence should constantly be guarded against. 



The crowding of young chicks is usually because they are 

 chilled, but it may be caused by their huddling together in rays 

 of sunlight on the brooder floor, or by putting too many chicks 

 in one brooder compartment. The latter is due to inexperience, 

 but it results in some of them being insufficiently fed and get- 

 ting insufficient exercise. The direct result of crowding is suffo- 

 cation, therefore immediate death, while the indirect result 

 may be a lack of vitality, which will either result ir> a dwarf chick 

 or cause lingering death. 



Overheating. If the brooder temperature is allowed to rise 

 too high, the chicks, by getting accustomed to this high tern- 



