SUCCESSFUL CHICK GROWING 



Nature's best tonic and disease preventives, fresh air and sun- 

 light (when it is available), in all parts of the brooder. 



We finlily believe that dry feeding is the most satisfactory 

 and most successful method of feeding brooder chicks. Dry 

 grain chick food of good quality, should be kept always before 

 the birds. The brooders should be well littered with out clover 

 or chaff and some fine sand. Use sand and chaff half an inch 

 deep on the floor beneath the hover. Keep pure beef scraps, 

 good quality, green-cured, dry cut clover or alfalfa; granulated 

 charcoal; chick-size grit and pure fresh water (with the chiU off 

 in cold weather) always, before the chicks. They will not over- 

 eat, and fed in this manner there is no danger of their going 

 without food when they need it. In addition to this, chick food 

 should also be scattered in the Utter. Fresh green food like grain 

 sprouts, lettuce, split beets, or apples should be supplied fre- 

 quently. Give them a grass run as soon as possible after they 

 are a week or ten days old, and in any case provide an outdoor 



half the height; the balance of the front should be wire netting 

 and provided with a framed hood on which is stretched water- 

 proof muslin or close-woven burlap. This hood should he 

 hinged at the top to swing outward and held in position by 

 wooden ratchets. The hood when closed should cover the whole 

 wire front. Provide a large door in the center of the front and 

 in the bottom of this make a small opening, for a chick door, 

 provided with a slide to close it. The floor of this coop should 

 be wood, kept off the ground by one itich cleats. In such a 

 colony coop the chcks may be safely kept from weaning time, 

 until well grown and ready for the larger houses. 



After the chicks have become accustomed te doing without 

 artificial heat, place one of these portable colony houses in a 

 sheltered position, preferably in an orchard beneath a good 

 sized tree, and move the chicks to it in the morning of a pleasant 

 day. Place a small wire enclosed run about 6 by 10 feet in front 

 of the house and keep the chicks confined for a few days until 



WHITE WYANDOTTES IN THE SHADE 



run, giving them a chance to use it during the sunny part of every 

 fair day. . , . 



Cared for in this manner the chicks will grow sturdy and 

 thrive Uke hardy weeds; they will be always plump and in good 

 condition. 



WEANING TIME 



Gradually reduce the temperature in the brooder unil 75 

 to 65 degrees is reached; then on mild nights accustom the 

 chicks to going without artificial heat until they are able to do 

 without the lamp altogether. When the chicks are from six to 

 eight weeks old they should be well feathered and well grown. 

 At this time if they have been hardened properly, and gradu- 

 ally used to doing without artificial heat, they are ready to be 

 transferred to the colony coops. These should be shed roofed 

 box coops of about 3 by 6 feet floor capacity; 3 feet high in front 

 and 2 feet high in the rear; the roof should be removable. The 

 front should be boarded up at the bottom for a little more than 



they become used to their home. Bed the floor of the house 

 with a little sand and an inch or more of chaff, cut straw or 

 similar Utter. Run this house with the cloth hood closed at 

 night at first; as the chicks grow and the weather becomes wann- 

 er the hood may be left up on mild nights and finally kept open 

 all the time. 



Do not put more than 50 chicks in one flock at weaning 

 time, and when they are ten or twelve weeks old. thin the flocks 

 down to 25 in a colony coop. 



FEEDING GROWING CHICKS 



When the brooder chicks are four weeks old begin feeding 

 a little whole wheat and cracked corn for variety, in addition 

 to the chick food. Gradually' reduce the amount of chick food 

 and increase the quantity of wheat and cracked corn. Hulled 

 oats may also be fed if obtainable at a low figure, also kaffir 

 corn, large millet, broom-corn or other smaU hard grains. If 



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