BROODING CHICKS 285 



but should include only such chicks as dry off nicely, are 

 undeformed, bright, and have " shape." It is a mistake to 

 attempt to raise all of the chicks that hatch. The test of 

 a hatch is the number of perfect chicks taken to the brooder 

 which require no special care over and above what is 

 given to the average of the flock to make them thrive and 

 grow. A poor hatch may be due to poor eggs, weakness 

 of the breeding stock, lack of proper care of the eggs be- 

 fore placing them in the incubator, or bad management of 

 the machine. 



Brooding Young Chicks. — The term brooding is meant 

 to include the warming, feeding, care, hygiene, and com- 

 fort of young chicks. Eternal vigilance and regularity are 

 the price of success in this work. There should be stated 

 periods for cleaning and disinfecting, and then one's best 

 judgment should be used to detect any additional need. 



Before a chick is hatched, one should decide what to 

 feed; at what hours to feed; how often to clean; how 

 frequently to disinfect ; with what to disinfect ; how soon 

 to feed the chicks; and at what temperature to operate 

 the brooder. Then after once having settled on this rou- 

 tine of procedure, making use of the best information and 

 observation in formulating it, follow it out intelligently, 

 thoroughly, and persistently. 



Artificial Brooding Preferred. — Chicks should be 

 brooded artificially wherever it is possible, for by so doing 

 all conditions can be kept under control; more chicks 

 can be handled by one person, and sturdier, more rapid 

 growth can be obtained. If the brooder is cleaned and 

 disinfected before incubator chicks are placed in it, all 

 possibility of their becoming lousy while of a tender age is 

 eliminated. 



