WITH 4200 HENS 75 



atmosphere before making further radical changes. If 

 they quiet down and begin to take an interest in water 

 and feed, close the upper outlet shaft slide and increase 

 the opening in the lower .one. Then leave them to 

 themselves. 



On the other hand, if they crowd each other and pack 

 together, even right under the hood of the stove, run up 

 the temperature by turning up the regulator screw; but 

 do this slowly. Turn it a quarter ways around, leave it 

 for a few minutes, until you hear the buzzing of the 

 flame, then turn it a little further, and so on, until you 

 have raised the temperature two or three degrees. Then 

 leave it at that for half an hour or so ; and if, after that 

 length of time they are still crowding the stove, repeat 

 the operation, and continue doing so until they scat- 

 ter and take to the water and feed. 



Meantime some of them may show an inclination to 

 peck one another's toes ; this is not serious at this age. If 

 you wish to take no chances of their getting started on a 

 rampage of toe-picking, catch the chaps that do it and give 

 them a drink. Hold the little fellow between your thumb 

 and middle finger, leaving the index finger free. Take him. 

 to a fountain, and with the index finger "duck" his head to 

 the water. Don't hold his head down very long he must 

 raise his head to get the water where he wants it. Then 

 remove one fountain from the ring, tear off an edge of 

 tar paper, put a little feed on it, and set your toe-peck- 

 ing chap outside the ring with this feed and water to 

 amuse him. Don't forget him, though, and step on him 

 later on or leave him out all night. 



Chances are that in an hour or so they will have 



