THE POULTliT YARD. 



199 



incubator, -where some of tliem were smothered with the heat. It waa 

 evident something must be done, or we would soon have no chicks to 

 experiment with. I determined in my own mind that a temperature of about 

 ninety degrees would be correct, so I rigged up the brooder and started tlie 

 lamp, put in the thermometer, and when the proper degree of heat waa 

 reached, put what was left of the chicks into the brooder, and tliey Ijegan to 

 brighten up. The problem was solved, though its solution coat me the lives 

 of many fine chicks. 



" With further experience, I find the following treatment a complete suc- 

 cess: Alter the chick breaks the shell, let him scramble around and dry 

 himself in the incubator, which 

 will generally take a few hours, 

 though some are much strong- 

 er than others. After too much 

 exercise they begin to pant, and 

 should, of course, be removed. 

 I have a box twelve inches 

 square and six inches high. To 

 the Ud of this tack strips of 

 woolen cloth an inch wide and 

 two inches apart. These rags 

 should hang within two inches 



of the bottom. Put a half inch of dry sand in the box. The brooder is kept 

 at a temperature between eighty and ninety degrees. The young chicks, 

 when perfectly drj-, are taken from the oven and put in the box, and the box 

 put in the brooder where Jthe other chicks are. Air holes should be cut in 

 the lid of the box, for if cut in the side the other chicks peck out the feathers 

 of the little ones through these holes. This box keeps the chicks warm, and 

 they soon brighten up, aud at the end of twelve hours are ready to take the 

 first lesson in eating. Take a hard boiled egg and chop the white and yelk 

 up together as fine as grains of wheat; with it cover the bottom of a little pan 

 — the top of a blacking box will do. Place this in the box with the chicks, 



and, while tapping with the 



finger in the feed, repeat 



' tuck, tuck,' like the clacking 



of a hen (Fig. 1). A little 



patience, and one chick will 



see something and peck at it, 



when the others will follow 



suit, and in a few minutes the 



first lesson is learned. After 



FIG. 3. a few meals, with this process 



repeated, it will be only nec- 



Msary to rap on the box, and the little fellows will be ready for their meal, 



and also be spry enough to be put out of the box and run with the others in 



the brooder. 



" The next lot of chicks I feed as follows: Stale wheat bread is soaked in 

 water. A cupful of oatmeal or rice has boiling water poured over it, and ia 

 stirred until it takes up all the water. I mix two handfuls of soaked bread, 

 with the water squeezed out, with one handful of this oatmeal, and dry it all 

 with unbolted commeal until it crumbles freely. A little salt is mixed up 

 with it. Tlua, with a little meat once a day, is their sole feed, and it is given 

 aboat every three hours until ftie chicka are a week old, or until the winj^ 



