Raising Incubator Chicks 173 



early May, except in southerly States. Thousands 

 of chicks are lost because of cold when their foster 

 parents think they are snug and warm. 



In a chicken house or shed room, a hover with an 

 oil wick has a poor chance when the temperature 

 goes down to freezing, as it often does on spring 

 nights. The big hover has lots of surplus heat, and 

 can carry the flock through the various changes 

 that come, but the little one can not, and does 

 not. 



In the House.^ — We always bring our chicks with 

 the small hover right into the house. Why don't 

 you? There is always a room, or part of a room, 

 you can spare. They make no bother at aU for 

 three weeks, and, if the litter is moistened, they 

 make no dirt to speak of. In the house they fear 

 no cold nights, no rats, no great danger, even if the 

 lamp goes out. They can run about, away from 

 the hover, sooner than they could outside. They 

 are right at hand where you can watch them, 

 and rescue those that get into trouble, for little 

 chicks with feathers, as well as those without, have 

 various ways of getting into trouble. 



Once in a city apartment, we were cramped for 

 . space, but determined not to go without our fresh 



