CHAPTER V . 



NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL BROODING 



The successful and proper brooding of chickens is rather 

 a difficult operation, especially for the beginner. Compar- 

 atively speaking, it is not nearly so difficult to secure good 

 egg yields and fair hatches as it is to successfully brood 

 chicks. Such failure usually results either in raising only 

 a small percentage of those hatched or in faihng to raise 

 strong, vigorous birds which develop into good stock. 

 Methods of artificial brooding are being improved each year, 

 but no one system has given perfect satisfaction. 



The simplest and easiest way to raise a few chickens is 

 with mother hens. This is the method that is used most 

 extensively on the average farm and small poultry plant. 

 Brooding chicks with artificial brooders is necessary where 

 early chickens are raised, where chicks are raised in large 

 numbers commercially, and where only Leghorns or non- 

 sitting breeds of poultry are kept. 



NATURAL BROODING 

 Brooding chickens with hens. As mentioned in the pre- 

 ceding chapter, sitting hens should be confined to slightly 

 darkened nests at hatching time, and not disturbed unless 

 they step on or pick the chicks. If for either of these rea- 

 sons it should be necessary to remove the chicks, they should 

 be put as soon as dry in a basket lined with warm material, 

 and kept warm until all the eggs are hatched. Some hens 

 begin to get restless after a part of the chicks are out, allow- 

 ing the remaining eggs to become cool at the very time when 

 heat is necessary. In such cases the eggs that are slow in 

 hatching may be placed under other hens. As soon as pos- 

 sible after the eggs are hatched the hens should be fed, 

 as they will then be likely to be contented. At this time, 



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