98 The Essentials of Poultry Raising 



236. Fresh. Water and Clean Dishes Essential. Fresh, clean, 

 pure water must be kept before the chicks at all times. The 

 water and milk containers must be scrubbed once a day. Spoiled 

 milk and feed which has been allowed to lie around are a fruitful 

 source of diarrhea. 



237. Feeding Boards Required. Feeding boards one or two 

 feet square on which the chicks may be fed are advisable. As 

 soon as the chicks have finished eating, these boards should be 

 scrubbed in a 4 per cent solution of some standardized coal 

 tar disinfectant and allowed to dry before the next feeding. 



238. Effects of Chilling. Do not allow the chicks to become 

 chilled. If the chicks are with a hen she will take care of them, 

 but if they are brooder chicks, they must be put back under 

 the hover as soon as feeding is over if the weather is cold. 

 Chilling results in fatal diarrhea. 



239. Effects of Overcrowding. Do not overcrowd the chicks, 

 either those with the hen or those in the brooder. Do not over- 

 crowd chicks on range. Disease and death always follow over- 

 crowding. 



240. Effects of Overheating. If chicks are subjected to high 

 temperatures in the hover and then allowed to cool off quickly, 

 sickness and heavy losses result. 



241. Look Out for Cannibalism. Chicks often commence to 

 eat each other's toes. Immediately remove the chick attacked. 

 In such cases, the chicks need more protein. Give them exercise 

 and plenty of meat meal and milk. 



242. Dispose of Chicks That Have Had Diarrhea. Toe punch 

 all chicks which have had a severe attack of diarrhea, and do 

 not save them for breeding purposes, but sell them for broilers. 



243. Chicks Old Enough to Range. As soon as chicks are 

 old enough to range for their feed, give them grain morning 

 and evening. Discontinue the wet mash and keep dry mash 

 before them all the time. An outdoor mash hopper shown in 

 Fig. 34 may be used. 



