HATCHING AND REARING CHICKS 
grind and digest their food. Coarse sand will 
answer the purpose fairly well for the first few 
days of the chick’s life, but after that some coarser 
material must be provided. 
Charcoal is of great assistance in keeping the 
chicks’ bowels well regulated, and it is invaluable 
in cases of bowel disorders or improper feeding. 
Keep some setting around where the chicks may 
pick at it at all times, but remember that if ex- 
posed to the air it will gradually lose its valuable 
properties, as it will absorb the impurities from 
the air. 
Cleanliness is very important with little chicks. 
Filth allowed to collect in any quantity, whether in 
The General the brooder, roosting coop, or yards, 
Care of lowers vitality and invites disease. 
Nelclsa Keep the floor of the brooder or coop 
lightly covered with sand, hay chaff, cut hay or 
clover, or some similar material, and sweep this 
out, together with the droppings and accumulated 
filth, every two or three days. If the coops are 
crowded, they must be cleaned that much more fre- 
quently. It often is a good plan to put a layer of 
heavy paper on the floor of the brooder, and then 
all the litter and droppings may be removed simply 
by taking out the paper. Disinfect the brooders 
every few weeks. 
Don’t hatch out more chicks than you feel abso- 
lutely sure you can properly look after. When the 
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