ROASTERS, BROILERS AND CAPONS 



STARTING THE CHICKS 



We will say that we have decided on the variety that we 

 will run; our eggs are as fresh as possible and of uniform size; 

 we have put them into a well made incubator and with proper 

 care have gotten out a good hatch, which came along promptly, 

 so that the morning of the twenty-second day we find the chicks 

 nicely dried off. We now get our warmed, cloth-lined basket, 

 with a heavy cover or shawl to prevent them getting chilled. 

 Right here I want to say, I believe more chicks "pass out," 

 to the land whence no wanderer returns, from getting chilled in 

 moving them from a warm, moist incubator on a cold day into 

 the brooder than most folks are aware of, and those little fel- 

 lows you had such fond hopes of, but lost last winter with what 

 you called bowel trouble or diarrhoea, were really chilled in 

 being changed from their birthplace to their temporary home. 

 Well, we have got them safely, we hope, into the brooder, 

 which has been brought up to the temperature of the incubator. 

 Of course we have placed our board in sUdes about a foot away 

 from and in front of the hover, so that the babies can not get 

 out in the long pen and not be able to find the way back and 

 thus get chilled. Just bear in mind for the first week that to 

 keep them warm is more essential than the kind of food. 



The first day of their lives in a brooder has almost passed 

 and they have not eaten anything. Night has begun to come 

 on and it is time to feed the hens, but let us first scatter down 

 for the chicks a liberal supply of rolled oats, the white flakes of 

 which will instantly attract them, and they are left to themselves. 

 In the evening, as we fix the fire preparatory to locking up for 

 the night, we look at them and are pleased to find them scattered 

 all over the hover bottom, and their contented little "peep" is 

 the last sound to fill our ears as we go out, and our mind is 

 already fiUed with visions of juicy broilers and big breasted 

 roasters and the perquisites thereunto attached. 



The next morning as we turn out at daylight to' see our 

 orphans we find them calling for breakfast. We touch up the 

 fire and then a feed of rolled oats is given them with a dish of 

 warmed skimmed milk. We use an old fruit can for this pur- 

 pose with a notch cut in the edge. Partially filled with the milk 

 and inverted into a saucer, this makes an elegant fountain for 

 small chicks. A saucer not much larger than the can is best, 

 then the chicks will not get "stuck up." The milk on the down 

 will stick them together as bad as paste would. Some of the 

 little fellows that would not eat will drink, so you save them 

 along until they will eat. That you will save more chicks by 

 giving them warmed skimmed milk than by any system of 

 feeding grain, is my way of thinking. 



We next powder some charcoal in a dry bone or shell mill, 

 and this is put into a dish and set in for the chicks to eat. We 

 have found this an excellent regulator for very young chicks, 

 as well as older birds. We are now going to feed every two 

 hours until our young charges are turned over to the butcher. 

 Let it be done by the clock; you will then be more regular and 

 can more easily even up the day. 



THE FIRST WEEK 



For the first week you are limited to rolled oats, millet 

 seed (which is a semi-green food) and cracked corn, run through 

 a mill to make it fine enough, then sifted to save the meal, which, 

 of course, is wasted by throwing it on the ground. We have kept 

 our milk before them all the time, and have carefully washed 

 the dishes twice a day, noon and night, as nothing gets any more 

 filthy than do these dishes if left uncleaned, the fat of the milk, 

 dirt and droppings all adding their mite to make it so, more 

 especially as the chicks get older. Some think skimmed milk 

 expensive to feed, but after trying it you will be convinced that 

 the increased growth that comes from feeding it gives you a 



good profit on it, and this is what we should always think of 

 when weighing the cost of food. The real question is, can I get 

 enough quicker growth by using it and give me a profit on it? 

 For feeding choice "fancy" chicks I have heard it contended 

 that whole milk was cheap to feed. I have been able to buy 

 all the skimmed milk I want for five cents a can, eight and one- 

 half quarts to a can, and have used as high as twenty-six cans 

 a day for broilers and roasters. 



As we have put into each hover not over fifty chicks, we 

 must see that the sand is carefully scraped off the top as often 

 as necessary, probably twice the first week, which will be in- 

 creased each week until about the third, then we begin to clean 

 them regularly every morning. We run the wheelbarrow into 

 the walk and, lift the hover, which is hinged against the parti- 

 tion so it is easy to get at. We take a small dust pan, or, if 

 you prefer, make a scraper, by driving nails through a stick, 

 something like a rake only closer together. Then scrape or 

 rake the top off, going quickly from one to another. 



THE SECOND WEEK 



For the first week we keep the board in the slides just 

 forward of the hover, as stated before. Now the second week 

 we will remove it and keep an eye on the chicks to see that they 

 do not get lost or get chilled by staying away from the heat too 

 long. For this, week we will feed about the same, only perhaps 

 it will be well to try them on a little mash made up of one-third 

 com meal and two-thirds wheat bran, seasoned with salt and 

 pepper, just the same as though we were to eat it ourselves. 

 Mix well and add boiling water. Don't put in enough to make 

 it sloppy. Allow it to stand a short time, then feed. Not much 

 will be eaten, but they will get so before the end of the week 

 they will look for it, as you feed your soft and hard grains al- 

 ternately. 



During the second week we have cracked some wheat in 

 our mill, so have had that for an extra dish and a change, giving 

 corn as a last feed generally. A good many feed cut or pinhead 

 oat meal to little chicks. This we have found to be a trifle 

 pasty or gummy, and have dropped it, as more will get stuck 

 up around the vent when this is fed than when not. 



There is one thing that is absolutely imperative — that is, 

 to get your chicks out on the ground. If it is bright and warm 

 put them out for a few minutes when a week old. Do not let 

 them stand "humped" up and shiver, but make them hustle 

 around, by driving or by feeding a handful of millet seed. 'After 

 the second week they must go out every day unless it storms, 

 no matter if it is zero weather. After you have tried it you wiU 

 see how essential it is, for you can not keep them on their legs 

 under such high feed in any other way. 



THE THIRD WEEK 



The third week we always settle down to our regular routine , 

 to be continued until about ready to market. As we enter upon 

 the duties of the third week we will now get our routine started 

 and will see the chicks push along for the next five weeks, at 

 which time we hope to see two-pound birds ready for the market, 

 and get sight of the returns for our labor. The first thing in 

 the morning is a feed of hard grain; then comes a feed of chopped 

 raw potatoes. As the chopping knife and tray wfere too slow, 

 we got a mince meat chopper, had a new disc made with larger 

 holes, about three-eighths of an inch in diameter, and ran the 

 potatoes through that, catching in a pan the first and last to 

 come out as it is nothing but water. The other is the pulp> 

 Now take their feed dish and give each pen all they wiU eat. 

 A little later we throw in a little cabbage, cut in strips, which 

 they will seize and chase each other around for until it is all 

 eaten. 



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