SUMMER CARE OF YOUNG STOCK. 



Roomy Coops, Good Food, Freedom from Lice, Sufficient 

 Shade Mal<e Healthy, Profitable Chicks. 



By C. A. Dutton. 



The "danger period" which causes the poultry raiser so 

 much anxiety for the first six or eight weeks of the chick's 

 life is past. The young stock now has more strength and vi- 

 tality and is not so subject to "set backs," caused by change 

 of feed, exposure, and other things. The important thought 

 from now on is to care for and properly feed the young stock 

 to enhance its steady growth and perfect development. 



One of the things to guard against especially, as the 

 summer advances and the nights become hot, is overcrowd- 

 ing in the roosting or brood coops. ^ 



A brood coop three feet square may comfortably hold 

 thirty-five or forty chicks up to three weeks old, but they . 

 very soon double in size and require twice the amount of 

 room to be Comfortable. 



Crowding is Dangerous to Health. 



A sign of overcrowding and overheating at night is 

 droopy wings and a lack of that sprightly action and growthy, 

 ^healthy appearance, that are seen in properly cooped chicks. 

 And, again, a coopful of chicks is a veritable hot bed for lice. 

 These pests are ever present and unless measures are taken 

 against them constantly they will gain a foot-hold. There 

 is so much said and written about fighting lice that it may 

 sound like a chestnut to some as it did to the writer in. times 

 past. But a few costly experiences with lice will teach 

 most of us that they are the worst enemy of the poultry 

 industry, and should be unceasingly besieged. 



I try to protect chicks from lice by a thorough dusting 

 of the mother hens, before and after hatching. I use a bak- 

 ing powder can with holes punched in the cover which njakes 

 a handy and economic powder box. But quite often lice 



