1- % 



Drinking fountains are the most common source for the 

 spread of disease. They should be therefore sterilized with 

 scalding water and Gold Dust Twins at least once a day, pref- 

 erably twice a day during hot weather. They should be so 

 arranged that chicks cannot get their feet in the water. Dis- 

 eased chicks should always be destroyed. White diarrhoea 

 is the most prevalent disease among chicks, and can be abso- 

 lutely eliminated by the white diarrhoea remedy found else- 

 where in this book. It materially affects the later profits and 

 must be carefully watched during the first few weeks after 

 incubation. Whenever chicks show sjnnptoms of white diar- 

 rhoea, they should be removed, the location of the run 

 changed, and the drinking fountains thoroughly disinfected. 

 It pays to burn the dead bodies of any chicks that have white 

 diarrhoea. Other diseases that should be watched for are 

 gape worms and leg weakness. Turn to the medical section 

 in this book and familiarize yourself with the best preventa- 

 tive for diseases prevalent among baby chicks. Do not let 

 your baby chicks get chilled. On the other hand, do not 

 sweat them. Keep the heat uniform, say from about 80 to 

 82° to start with, gradually cutting down the heat as the 

 chickens grow. Give them all the free range possible and 

 encourage plenty of exercise. Provide them with plenty of 

 shade. See that there is plenty of ventilation but no drafts. 

 If the weather is such that the little chicks cannot get out 

 of doors on the ground the first week, throw fresh earth in 

 one part of the brooder room where the chicks can get on it 

 a part of the day. Three weeks straight on a hard floor will 

 usually cause leg weakness to develop. Remember that 

 chicks need exercise. If the weather is dry, the little chicks 

 should be allowed to make use of the outside yard when they 

 are from 10 to 12 days old. Keep the yard small at first, a 

 few feet square. Increase the range every four or five days 

 until the chicks are able to find their way from the yard to 

 the hover, then allow them free range during the whole day. 

 It is a good practice to make use of a peculiar call or whistle 

 each time that you feed the little chicks in order that they 

 will associate that call with feeding time and this will facil- 

 itate calling them into the house. 



Little chicks should be culled as soon as the sex can be de- 

 termined. Cockrels should be separated and placed in separ- 

 ate yards so that those of about the same age can run to- 

 gether. If any of the cockrels are to be saved for breeding, 

 place leg bands on those that mature rapidly and remember 



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