Raising Incubator Chicks 171 



Nursing the Sick. — In every flock of chickens 

 there will usually be cases of illness. A chick, 

 which seems fairly normal in size and shape, will 

 stand off by himself, and seem very much out of 

 sorts. Men with large flocks waste no time with 

 these, but watch them a day or so, and then, if they 

 still suffer, put an end to the case by a capital 

 operation. 



Although the profit in nursing the weak member 

 is a great question, it may be a brief indisposition 

 that a few hours by the kitchen stove will cure. A 

 warm box, with a jug of water at about 120 degrees 

 in the center, will give it what heat is needed, and a 

 little bread and milk may set it right. 



One thing — ^keep the cat out of the hospital. 

 Priscilla brought a big chicken in to nurse. She 

 left the door open. Fluffy wandered in. Fluffy is 

 fond of chicken, and took this one off for a long walk. 

 It never came back. 



The broad principle to remember is this: Profit 

 in potiltry comes from the best chickens, not the 

 second best. Chickens that are weak or ill are 

 seldom the best. A flock of twenty picked, perfect 

 birds, is more profitable than thirty where ten are 

 second-rate birds. A stem determination to weed 



