BROODING 



441 



calculated to prevent them from becoming weak-legged. In 

 placing sand it will be necessary to see that the baby chicks 

 when first placed in such quarters do not gorge themselves with 

 sand. When the baby chicks are taken from the incubator 

 they will fill up on chaff, sticks, and sand if not looked after 

 carefully. Therefore, as soon as they are placed on the floor 

 have feed there for them so they can fill their crops, and thus 

 prevent impaction and death of some of them from that cause. 

 There should be no trouble after they have their crops full if 

 they are properly fed. Do not allow the chicks to become 

 chilled or exhausted by following a hen, as such treatment 

 will be disastrous, for chilling causes diarrhea and pneumonia 

 and exhaustion saps them of their vitahty and retards their 



Fig. 166. — An out-door brooder: A, The lamp compartment; B, the hover; 

 C, the feed room and sun-bath parlor. 



growth. Chicks must be kept warm at all times. If they 

 stand around and peep you know they are cold and that they 

 need be placed under the hover. 



AU incubators, brooders, drinking-troughs, and fountains 

 should be thoroughly disinfected before being used a second 

 time. 



If chicks die of a contagious disease, as white diarrhea, the 

 hover and room must be thoroughly and frequently disinfected. 

 Scrub with a 1 : 400 solution of formalin. A small broom with 

 a handle will be found convenient for this disinfection work. 

 A force spray-pump can also be used to advantage. 



