282 POULTRY CULTURE 



across the compartment, gradually increasing the space before the 

 pipes by removing the board to a greater distance, until, when the 

 birds are thoroughly "hover-broke," it is removed altogether. 



Period of artificial brooding. Under the same circumstances 

 and at the same seasons the requirements of the birds are the 

 same, regardless of the source of heat ; but, as much of the work 

 by artificial methods is done in the fall, winter, and early spring, 

 the birds are often kept in the brooders much longer than natural 

 mothers would brood them. One of the principal advantages of 

 the artificial brooder is that it has no other function than to brood 

 young birds, so that they may be kept in it as long as they require 

 warmth, while natural mothers (especially early in the season) will 

 often wean their broods and resume laying long before the young 

 cease to need brooding. Winter chickens are kept in brooders up 

 to ten or twelve weeks of age, according to the weather and their 

 development. Ducklings require supplied heat only from three to 

 five weeks, according to the season. 



Protection from enemies. Young birds are absolutely defenseless, 

 and, even when constitutionally strong, are physically frail in com- 

 parison with most of the creatures with which they come in contact. 

 Allowing them to run with larger poultry, whether of their own kind 

 or another, is a disadvantage. If allowed to run with other stock, 

 considerable numbers may be accidentally killed by being stepped on 

 by horses or cattle, or may be destroyed by hogs. Dogs and cats not 

 trained to let them alone may be very destructive, and rats even 

 more so, while almost every predatory wild animal or bird that 

 haunts inhabited districts is destructive to young poultry. The 

 smaller the birds, the greater the number of enemies they have to 

 fear ; the slower their growth, the longer they require watching 

 and protection. Young chickens are hardly safe from persistent, 

 hungry cats until six or eight weeks old, while a young Pekin duck 

 two or three weeks old would not be likely to be molested, and gos- 

 lings would not be troubled after the first few days. Losses among 

 larger and quicker growing kinds are often equal to or greater than 

 losses among smaller ones, because they roam farther from home 

 and are more exposed to attacks of larger wild animals and birds. 



The most effective way of protecting poultry (young or old) 

 is by destroying or driving away their enemies. Protection by 



