278 MY POULTRY DAY BY DAY 
the last thing before retiring and first thing in the morning. Every 
time you see one of them dead ask yourself whether it could have 
been avoided and if you are responsible for it. Chicks will die, 
no matter what you do, but it is safer to assume that they should 
all live. If you can hatch 100 per cent. take infinite pains to do 
so. I have seen a man state in print that he loses less than 5 
per cent. between hatching and adult life. He may be telling the 
truth. Assume that he is and try to beat his record. Some day 
it will doubtless be done. Why not you ? 
Take infinite pains to keep down your mortality. Every chicken 
saved is profit, every one that dies is loss. Do not think that one 
chicken more or less does not matter. Why, your whole flock is 
made up of single chickens. It is the unit that makes the flock. 
Watch your chickens and your eggs will take care of themselves. 
See that the drinking vessels are sweet and clean; see that the 
water is replenished twice a day; see that it does not get warmed 
by the sun ; see that it is kept ina cool place. See that the chickens 
get shade and shelter; see that their food is just right ; see that 
green stuff is plentiful and that they get plenty of exercise. Take 
infinite pains with the little chicks and the profits will take care of 
themselves. 
Rats AND Cats 
Make sure that the small chickens are protected from dogs and 
cats and rats. Huge mortalities have frequently resulted from 
the birds being exposed to stray dogs and cats. One day I found 
a dog, a notorious chicken-killer, entering a house of 100 young 
birds. Had I been a few minutes later I would have lost the lot. 
Where there are wild dogs and cats there is always danger lurking 
round the corner. If the birds are wired in with a six-foot wire 
there will be no danger from dogs and very little from cats. If 
there are boards a foot high along the bottom of the wire, rats and 
stoats will also be kept in subjection. Do not neglect any pre- 
caution. Take pains to keep your stock intact. 
Watch the markets. Keep your eye on the price of food-stuffs 
