HATCHING AND REARING CHICKS 
out injury to the garden or crops. In addition to 
protecting the chicks from the weather, these coops 
also provide safety from cats, rats, and hawks. 
The majority of the outdoor brooders give the 
best results when operated under cover, where 
they are more or less protected from the elements. 
Even the large colony brooders give the best results 
when the chicks have some protection other than 
that furnished by the brooder itself. In winter 
and spring weather it is often too cold for the 
chicks to be outdoors in the open, and no brooder 
has enough floor space to comfortably house fifty 
or more chicks all the time for a week or more. 
Shelters for Chicks. While it is detrimental 
to the health and vitality of the chicks to 
allow them to run in wet grass, or before the 
dew is off in the morning, it is also detri- 
mental to keep them confined in the brooder for 
several hours. We have a covered run attached to 
each brooder, and the chicks make use of this 
during the early morning hours and during rain 
storms. By the use of these shelters the chicks 
have an outdoor run where they are protected from 
sun and storm and also from marauding animals 
that so often reduce the flocks, especially where 
chicks are reared on town and city lots. The 
run is made by covering a wooden frame with 
one-inch mesh wire netting. We have three dif- 
ferent styles in use on the Buff Rock Farm, and 
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