70 



hustle for it. Nothing under the sun will kill young chicks 

 quicker than stuffing them and letting them stand around. I 

 also give them green food of some sort and every two or three 

 days a mash containing 8 per cent, or 10 per cent, of meat meal. 

 But above all things keep them hustling. 



"After the first two days I drop the temperature to 90 de- 

 grees. I aim to get the heat down to 80 degrees in the first 

 week and a half and to 70 degrees in eight or ten days more. 

 As near as I can I mean to drop the temperature about one de- 

 gree a day until 70 is reached. 



"For myself I use outdoor brooders mostly, and while we 

 cannot maintain a uniform heat, by close watching we can keep 

 a comparatively even temperature, as my experience is that 

 after a chick has been chilled or over-heated it is poor property. 

 I believe in getting them on the ground as soon as possible 

 after the chicks learn to run in and out of the warm part of the 

 brooder, and very frequently am obliged to shovel snow out of 

 the brooder runs. But a chick will stand a lot of cold if he 

 keeps on the move. Of course they must be watched closely in 

 cold weather and if they show signs of huddling shut in until 

 thoroughly warmed. 



"Some of my best flocks have been raised on wheat screen- 

 ings alone, but I have had good success with some of the pre- 

 pared chick foods. We must be governed by the season of 

 year in moving to the cool brooder, as early chicks must be 

 supplied with heat a long time ; but along in the latter part of 

 April I get them hardened to go without heat in about three 

 weeks. At this age they are practically past the danger point, 

 and if kept free from lice and given proper care will live and 

 thrive." 



WHEN CHICKS ARE RAISED IN THE GOOD OLD 



WAY. 



There are many who prefer the "good old way" of brooding 

 by hens, and to them recommend the following from the pen 

 of my good friend, Mr. A. F. Hunter: "For the first 24 hours 

 after hatching chicks do not need food, as the portion of yolk 

 that has just been taken into the abdomen has not been fully 

 digested ; and then, too, the chick should get accustomed to the 

 fact that he has 'just been borned' before his little crop is 

 started on its seldom empty journey through life. When the 

 hatch conies off let the little fellows have a drink of pure fresh 

 water (not too cold) ; this invigorates them and helps clear the 

 digestive organs of waste from digested yolk. 



