38 CHICKS 



water is as important as clean quarters; sunlight and fresh 

 air are as necessary as food. 



The Secret of Success. 



The secret of success is undoubtedly strict attention to 

 the instructions that accompany the brooder and constant 

 care of the chicks for the first few weeks after they leave 

 the incubator. I have never been in favor of anything too 

 mechanical in connection with incubators and I am still 

 more prejudiced against a too-mechanical use of the brood- 

 er, for the more the operator has to attend to the little 

 ones the stronger and healthier they will be and the smaller ~ 

 will be the death rate as a rule. Take your baby chicks 

 from the incubator in the evening as they will then be 

 undisturbed by the light and will sleep comfortably until 

 the next morning. 



Do not be guided too much by the thermometer for the 

 little fellows make pretty good thermometers themselves and 

 there is not much fear of them becoming too hot if they can 

 retreat to where the temperature is cooler than under the 

 hover. Quite a good plan is to fasten up one of the woolen 

 flaps of the hover for the first two or three days in order 

 that the chicks may find their way in and out easily and to 

 occasionally remove the hover entirely in order that fresh 

 air may enter and more especially to see if there are any 

 weak or lazy chicks behind. Many a stupid or weakly 

 chick's life may be saved by helping it when it is not in- 

 clined to help itself. 



Do not put the food (dry grains) into any kind of feed- 

 ing device but scatter it in the litter upon the bottom of 

 the brooder, or runway, in this way making them work for 

 all they get. Exercise promotes health and cannot be 

 commenced too soon. 



Always prevent the youngsters from crowding or hud- 

 dling together. In a well constructed brooder they are not 

 apt to do that but it is well to be sure that the>- don't, as 

 it is bound to cause trouble and will result in the loss of 

 some of your' chicks. 



A Chill is Fatal. 



Be sure to take every precaution to prevent your chicks 



