WITH 4200 HENS 79 



from the atmosphere you are "tasting." The fresh air 

 is on the floor and the greatest heat is near the root — 

 you must get down to the level of the chicks before your 

 judgment can 'be taken. If your thermometer reads be- 

 tween 90 and 95 and the chicks are settled with the outer 

 ones near the thermometer, your heat is about right ; and 

 if you do not feel a "stuffiness" in the air when you get 

 your face down near the thermometer, your air is about 

 right. 



We usually look in on the chicks at about 7 o'clock 

 and again just before going to bed. Newly hatched, they 

 should now look like a big omelette, close together, many 

 with their necks stretched flat along the straw ; but they 

 should not be piled three or four deep. If they are so 

 piled up and are the proper distance from the stove there 

 is too much air. Correct this by reducing the opening 

 in the air shafts. Before leaving the house on the last 

 round, test the alarm system by pressing the contact 

 points together first on one side, then the other. The 

 bell in the house should ring each time. 



We leave the curtains down at night for the first few 

 nights. Thereafter it is raised after dark. 



Second Day 

 On the second day raise the curtains as soon after day- 

 light as possible. Put down the tar paper plats, scat- 

 tering the grain on them as you go. This will be rather 

 a tedious process on this day because they have not yet 

 learned that it means "eat." Next day it will go easier. 

 When they have had the feed about half an hour put 

 in the water pots. Temper the water to the heat of your 

 hand and add a level teaspoonful of common baking soda 

 to each quart of water. (Use the two-bucket scheme for 



