ARTinciAL Mothers. 



75 



number of coops saved. Time is gained in feeding and care, for there is but one coop to caic 

 for instead of four or five. I do not consider heat (artificial) as necessary except in extremely 

 cold weather. I have put out chicks in March (20th) without any artificial warmth, and had 

 them do well ; so have others w ho have used the same style of ' mother.' The idea of a self- 

 regulating heat for the ' artificial mother ' is simply a useless expense in construction, for whicu 

 no adequate return is received." We must say we think this goes rather too far, and for a 

 fine full brood of chicks would always prefer a good hen ; but we can fully subscribe to the 

 statement that chickens thus managed will grow, and thri\c, and pay, without requiring more 

 care than can be easily given to them. 



The simplest form of artificial mother is in our opinion also the best, and is represented in Fig. 

 43. Its manufacture is the easiest thing possible. Purchase an ordinary coloured sheepskin mat, 

 about two feet long b}^ sixteen inches wide, which will make two mothers, and probably cost about 

 eight shillings. A mat should of course be chosen with fine, soft, and rather long wool, but too 

 tliick a fleece is bad, as we once found after making this mistake that several chicks became hope- 

 lessly entangled and perished of suffocation. Too large a mother may lead to the same result, and 

 hence the depth from front to back- should not exceed twelve inches, whatc\-cr the length be — we 



I'y- 4o 



are supposing sixteen inclies, which will accommodate about fifteen j-oung chicks. A box, or 

 rather box-cover without a front, must then be constructed of the size required, which will be about 

 five inches deep at the open front, sloping back to three and a half inches behind, so that the 

 chicks may creep back to the proper place where the sloping woolly cover comfortably cherishes 

 them. Some small holes being bored in the sides and lop for ventilation, this open cover is to 

 be sprinkled with paraffine to guard against vermin, and the sheepskin then tacked inside with 

 common tin-tacks, fastening it round the edges only, and not too tightl)-, so that its own weight 

 may cause it to bulge a little downwards. The mother is now complete, and is best set upon a 

 large board covered a full inch deep with sand, or ashes finely sifted, into which the chicks will nestle 

 and keep themselves warm. The board under will quite prevent cramp, and a little carbolate of 

 lime sprinkled in the ashes, with the parafiine above, will keep away vermin ; while cleanliness is 

 easily secured by passing the whole through a sieve daily. 



Under such a mother, if the sheepskin has been chosen with judgment, chicks will thrive ivcll. 

 It is necessary to success to confine them for some days in a small run, the mother being at one end; 

 for if this be not done, having no hen to call them back, they may run off and get lost. As soon as 

 they learn to knoiv their artificial parent, this confinement may be dispensed with ; only taking care 

 always to feed them close beside it. The}- must of course be given their food and water with 

 scrupulous regularity ; cleanliness must be looked to very carefully ; and they must be confined 

 under cover in all wet weather: otherwise their treatment will not differ from that already 

 described. 



