REARING FROM INCUBATORS 95 
guard against disease a few crystals of potassium permanganate 
should be added to the water. Once the solution in the water 
fount loses its characteristic light claret shade it should be changed 
without delay. An inverted water-bottle fount is an excellent 
appliance for very young chickens. 
From the second to the fourth week the chief requirements of 
the chickens are suitable food, plenty of open-air exercise, heat to a 
decreasing extent, and protection. 
If the weather is at all suitable, the chicks should have daily 
access to a limited area of good grass turf. It is waste of time 
and labour to place them on turf that is largely composed of coarse 
grass tufts. 
To provide frequent changes to fresh turf, without moving the 
coop for some time, it is an advantage to have a trap door in each 
of the four sides. A wooden frame should be constructed. It 
should have a floor space 6 feet by 6 feet, and should be sufficiently 
high to cover the trap doors. The top and sides of this cage 
should be covered with one-inch mesh wire-netting in order to 
exclude sparrows and other vermin. 
A tarpaulin made of unbleached calico (cheap grade), proofed 
with two coats of hot boiled linseed oil to which a proportion of 
gelatine has been added, may be placed in position to cover the 
roof of the cage, but not its sides. A few eyelets and light lashings 
are also necessary. The semi-transparent cover should be kept 
in position during showery or uncertain weather and removed 
when the weather is fine. The chickens should always be confined 
to the coop itself towards nightfall. 
The cage can be moved to any given plot round the coop itself, 
until all four plots are soiled, when it is time to move the house to 
fresh ground. It is an advantage to place the dry bran hopper 
and water-fount within the cage. 
Feeding. —The following foods are suggested :— 
(a) The dry chick food of the litter bed. 
(4) A constant supply of dry wheat bran, 
(c) Grit, green food, and fresh water. 
