CHAPTER XVII 



Chicks Raised Nature's JVav 



First of all you must get the best brooder made if 

 )ou expect to be successful, and if you are not in the 

 broiler business and do not want to hatch only breeders, 

 then I advise getting your first hatches out about Maixli 

 20, and for this system, on a large scale, taking everything 

 into consideration, I believe to-day there is no brooder 

 made ecjual to the latest Cyphers Self-Regulating Brood- 

 ers for outdoor use, costing $17. This brooder can be 

 successfully used out of doors from March 20 on, and 

 you never have to wurry about your heat nights, as long 

 as you run a good, big flame, for it regulates the same 

 as an incubator, so there is no danger of overheating 

 your chicks nor chilling them as long as )-ou keep flame 

 enough to keep up your heat. These brooders will safely 

 carry 75 to 100 chicks, and if they are hatched strong 

 and properly cared for according to my instructions you 

 should raise nearly every chick put out. 



To do this on a large scale, to raise from three to 

 six thousand, you must keep some one among your chicks 

 all the time if you do not want them all carried away 

 by hawks and crows and various other animals, as there 

 is n (thing we raise that have so many enemies, 



I will here name you some of their worst enemies when 

 they are small: Hawks, crows, rats, weasels, cats, skunks, 

 woodchucks in rare cases, raccoons, foxes. 



Select for raising your chicks a nice, large orchard if 

 you have one ; if not, }'ou must put up some artificial 

 shade. Put your brooders in rows across the lot, about 

 ten feet apart, and try to hatch in one week enough 

 chicks for a r:)w of brooders. About sixt^• feet in front 

 of this row put a one and one-half foot fence of one- 

 inch mesh ^vire netting ; then another row of brooder.s 

 46 



