64 CHICKS 



lice powder when placed upon the nest and, if badly infested, 

 again four days later. A final dusting should be given about 

 four days before the hatching day. Two of these dustings 

 during the sitting period will entirely rid the hen of Uce 

 and do much to insure a good hatch, and further, it reduces 

 the liability of head lice on the chicks. 



Mites are troublesome pests in hot weather and a few 

 of them will drive the best sitters from the nest. Fortunate- 

 ly kerosene will keep them away if applied to the woodwork 

 of the nest in liberal quantity. This should be done after 

 each hen leaves the nest with her brood, making the nest 

 perfectly mite-proof for the next one. This oil will keep 

 the mites away from the woodwork and the powder will 

 keep them from the nest and hen. 



These sitting hens should be fed whole com, with oyster 

 shell in good supply before them, when they are off the nest. 

 They should be fed every day at a regular hour. Promptness 

 should be the rule. If a set of hens have been fed at 10 

 a. m. for a few days they are fretful if not fed at that time. 



Flatten the Nest When Eggs are Hatching. 



As soon as the eggs begin to be picked, the nest should be 

 widened and flattened. The straw should be taken out 

 and the rowen c^r short hay should be drawn into its place, 

 the idea being to flatten the nest so that the eggs do not rest 

 against each other. This greatly reduces the hability 

 of crushing eggs or chicks. The chicks may stay in the 

 nest from twenty-four to thirty-six hours after hatching. 



After hatching the chicks are put into our summer coops. 

 There is a little sand put on the floor of the coops and a very 

 little hay chaff. Clear sand is the first grit for a chicken 

 and it is worth while to see that they get it before they are 

 fed anything. Small chick grit is very necessary from the 

 start. 



The First Feed. 



The prepared chick feeds have succeeded the old fash- 

 ioned food of hard boiled eggs and cracker and milk. On 

 the whole it is a good change and nearer nature. These 

 finely cracked seeds keep the chicks running and scratching 

 and picking. 



