70 



degrees for about every 50 or 60 chicks. At first I strew the 

 front of the brooder with fine grit, and then give them bread 

 crumbs or wheat screenings or Cyphers Chick Food for their first 

 feed just what they will eat eat up clean and give them all the 

 water they want. I generally feed about five times a day the first 

 two or three days, and gradually drop off to three feeds at three 

 weeks. However, after the first two or three days I scatter their 

 feed in a little litter, and make them hustle for it. Nothing under 

 the sun will kill young chicks quicker than stuffing them and let- 

 ting 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 hust- 

 ling. 



''After the first two days I drop the temperature to 90 degrees. 

 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 degree a day until 70 

 is reached. 



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

 not maintain a uniform heat, by close watching we can keep a com- 

 paratively 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 screenings 

 alone, but I have had good success with some of the prepared 

 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 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 I recommend the following from the pen 

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



