A R T1FICIAL M 0 THERS. 
75 
number of coops saved, lime is gained in feeding and care, for there is but one coop to care 
for instead of four or five. I do not consider heat (artificial) as necessary except in extremely 
cold weather. I have put out chicks in March (20th) without any artificial warmth, and had 
them do well ; so have others who have used the same style of ‘ mother.’ The idea of a self- 
regulating heat for the ‘ artificial mother ’ is simply a useless expense in construction, for which 
no adequate return is received.” We must say we think this goes rather too far, and for a 
fine full brood of chicks naturally hatched would always prefer a good hen ; but we can fully 
subscribe to the statement that chickens thus managed will grow, and thrive, and pay, without 
requiring more care than can be easily given to them. 
The simplest form of artificial mother is in our opinion the best for only occasional use, 
and is represented in Fig. 43. Purchase an ordinary coloured sheepskin mat, about two feet long 
by sixteen inches wide, which will make two mothers, and probably cost about eight shillings. 
A mat should of course be chosen with fine, soft, and rather close wool, but too long a 
fleece is bad, as we once found after making this mistake that several chicks became hope- 
lessly entangled and perished of suffocation. Too large a mother may lead to the same result, and 
hence the depth from front to back should not exceed twelve inches, whatever the length be — we 
Fig- 43- 
are supposing sixteen inches, which will accommodate about fifteen young chicks. A box, or 
rather box-cover without a front, must then be constructed of the size required, which will be about 
five inches deep at the open front, sloping back to three and a half inches behind, so that the 
chicks may creep back to the proper place where the sloping woolly cover comfortably cherishes 
them. Plenty of holes being bored in the sides and top for ventilation, this open cover is to 
be sprinkled with paraffine to guard against vermin, and the sheepskin then tacked inside with 
common tin-tacks, fastening it round the edges only, and not too tightly, so that its own weight 
may cause it to bulge a little downwards. The mother is now complete, and is best set upon a 
large board covered a full inch deep with sand, or ashes finely sifted, into which the chicks will nestle 
and keep themselves warm. The board under will quite prevent cramp, and a little carbolate of 
lime sprinkled in the ashes, with the paraffine above, will keep away vermin ; while cleanliness is 
easily secured by passing the whole through a sieve daily. 
Under such a mother, if the sheepskin has been chosen with judgment, chicks will thrive well. 
It is necessary to success to confine them for some days in a small run, the mother being at one end; 
for if this be not done, having no hen to call them back, they may run off and get lost. As soon as 
they learn to knoiv their artificial parent, this confinement may be dispensed with ; only taking care 
always to feed them close beside it. They must of course be given their food and water with 
scrupulous regularity ; cleanliness must be looked to very carefully ; and they must be confined 
under cover in all wet weather : otherwise their treatment will not differ from that already 
described. 
