Treatment of Growing Chickens. 
73 
about two feet from the ground, and to allow them to fly up to her. For several nights she will 
partially brood them on her perch, allowing one or two to get between her legs, and spreading 
her wings over the others. After a few days of this partial care, however, she will begin to beat 
them off; when she must be altogether removed, and the advantage will be found of having 
accustomed the little ones to the perch, where they will be warm and dry. Large breeds, however, 
should not be allowed to roost, unless they are when forsaken nearly three months old ; and not 
even then except they have abundant range of grass to give tone to the system, and thus prevent 
crooked breasts. Otherwise, the hen should be taken away at once, and the chickens left to sleep 
in either their accustomed coop, or any box turned on its side, and well floored with dry ashes, 
sand, or sifted earth, cleansed daily. The wood floor is much the best, if well covered with the 
earth, as it keeps them dry and warm underneath. In such a box the chicks will all crowd up into 
one corner to keep warm, and will usually get on very well ; but if they are very young, or the 
weather is severe, the artificial mother presently described must be brought into requisition. If 
not previously accustomed to it, the chicks are easily taught its use by putting them under it in 
the dark several nights in succession, always keeping the mother in the same spot, and scattering 
some food close to it for the morning. Chickens when abandoned by the hen do best if they can 
have a pretty good shed to themselves, floored with loose earth and fronted with open wire. 
A sleeping-box or mother can be put in each back corner, thus accommodating two broods ; and 
they should be shut in at night, with some food for their breakfast, so that they cannot get out 
on the grass till the proper time. 
As the chickens grow up they will probably have to be moved away from their first domicile, 
in order to make room for others fresh hatched. However this may be, at ten to twelve weeks 
old the cockerels must be separated from the pullets, and only chickens of about the same age 
be placed in a run together, else the weaker will stand no chance. Without separating the sexes 
the birds will never grow so large, besides which it prevents trouble, as a number of cockerels may 
be kept by themselves in perfect peace till full-grown. The chief things to guard against, however, 
will be any oversight in cleanliness, and any neglect of the older chickens for the sake of the young 
ones. Many a mistake is made here. The birds are growing fast now, and they must be fed 
liberally and well, or all the pains bestowed on them will be lost ; whether their destination be the 
exhibition or the fatting-pen, this remark equally applies. Their four good meals must be regularly 
given — just enough to satisfy them and none left — mixed nice and dry, as we laid so much stress 
upon, and thrown about the grass-run if that be at command, or put in clean vessels if not ; their 
water kept clean and frequently changed ; and some animal food occasionally given to all except 
pullets which it is not desired should lay early ; their sleeping-places kept sweet, and dry, and 
sheltered. Chickens thus cared for will thrive and be a credit, whatever the purpose for which they 
are reared. Milk may be still mixed with their food and given to drink, even up to six months 
old, if it agrees; but in most cases, especially in confinement, it seems to sicken them after about 
two months, and care must be taken not to oveiload the digestive oigans. 
In the preceding remarks we have throughout taken it for granted that the young broods 
will be accommodated and reared apart from the stock of adult fowls. It is much to be 
desired that affairs should be thus arranged, and if otherwise it is impossible to avoid some 
waste both in* time and money ; but we have known chickens fed in a large yard amongst 
other fowls, and do better than might have been expected, by the use of a feeding-coop. 
This is made of netting stretched upon any light frame, so as to include about six feet square 
of around, and about ei g hteen incbes hi S b - lt can be dividcd if desircd into several compart- 
ments; and by having doors to each, of various sizes, the larger fowls or chickens will be unable 
