6 
Farmers’ Bulletin il08. 
bottom cut an opening 3 inches high and 8 or 10 inches long for the 
chicks to pass through. Protect this opening with a strip of woolen 
cloth; tack at the upper edge, having perpendicular slits cut from 
the lower edge to within one-half inch of the top to allow the chicks 
to pass through. This box, covered over the top with a heavy 
blanket or any warm cloth, may be used without heat when the 
temperature of the room in which the* brooder is located is 70° F. 
or over. If the temperature is lower, however, or if the cliicks 
appear to be cold, take a large bottle or jug and fill it with hot water 
and place it inside the box, refilling the bottle as often as necessary 
to keep the chicks warm and comfortable. 
FEEDING BABY CHICKS. 
Baby chicks should not be fed until 24 to 36 hours after hatching, 
and will not suffer if not fed until they are 48 hours old. The yolk 
of the egg which is absorbed by the chick just before hatching fur- 
nishes all the nourishment required for the first 2 days. After the 
second day they should be fed four or five times each day for a week 
or 10 days, but only a small amount at a time. Chicks will grow 
faster if fed four or five times each day than if fed only three times, 
hut they should receive only what they will eat up clean each time. 
Overfeeding will do more harm than underfeeding; therefore care 
should be taken that only a sufficient amount be given each time to 
satisfy their hunger and keep them exercising. It is very important 
that the chickens he fed regularly. 
The first feed should consist of baked johnnycake broken up into 
small pieces, or hard-boiled eggs mixed with stale-bread crumbs 
or dry oatmeal, using a sufficient amount of the cereal to make a 
dry, crumbly mixture. These feeds or combinations of feeds may 
he used with good results for a week; then gradually substitute for 
one or two feeds each day a mixture of equal parts of finely cracked 
wheat, cracked corn, and pinhead oatmeal or hulled oats, to which 
may be added a small quantity of broken rice, millet, rapeseed, or 
charcoal if obtainable. This mixture makes an ideal ration. If 
corn can not he had, cracked kafir or rolled or hulled barley may 
be substituted. A commercial chick feed containing a variety of 
grains can be bought from most feed dealers and may be used in- 
stead of the home mixture if desired. 
IIow to make johnnycake for chicks. 
Corn meal 5 poiinds. 
Infertile eggs (tested out from sittings or from an incubator). 6. 
Baking soda 1 tablespoon. 
Mix with milk to make a stiff batter, and bake thoroughly. 
Note. — When infertile eggs are not available \ise a double quantity 
of baking soda and add one-third pound of sifted beef scrap. 
