Artificial Rearing of Chickens. 
43i 
more moderate heat to be kept up with facility.* Even with these forms of apparatus, however, 
much mortality was at first found, which was discussed for some time with little amendment. By 
the kind assistance of many friends, however, we were able to make something like an exhaustive 
investigation into the matter, and the results were remarkable. In searching for the best returns, we 
gradually found we almost always came at the same time upon the lowest temperatures employed. 
We found that a heat under the mother which seemed only nicely warm to the hand, and was in 
fact only that of a hen, was simply murder to the chickens ; and with this discovery the difficulties 
were cleared away, and artificial rearing became a general success 
One cause of the great difference in result between the heat of a hen’s breast, and the same 
heat in an artificial mother, it appeared, consisted in the closed sides of most mothers as at first 
constructed. The heated and foul air escapes on all sides from under a hen, whereas in the 
Cheshire and other early machines, it was confined by close ends of board. It will, accordingly, be 
seen that the apparatus figured above, as in most others now constructed, is open upon three sides 
for the passage of chickens and the admission of air. 
We also found that cramp and weakness in the feet — the usual precursors of loss under this 
method of rearing — were general accompaniments of too much confinement and coddling, often 
combined with too little earth on the floor. The chickens which had free run in any weather did 
better than those kept under cover, and very often liberty would restore even many of those which 
had developed the unlucky symptoms. 
After these explanations, the secret of successful rearing under machines may readily be 
summed up in a few sentences. In the first place, the heat must be carefully kept down to a point 
much less than any one would believe , who has not either learnt by experience, or is not content to 
accept it on authority. When the mother is packed with chickens the heat rapidly accumulates. 
A temperature of yo° Fahr. at the bottom of the tank will be found quite sufficient in any weather 
but the severest frost, and in warm weather the usual temperature of 6o° is sufficient, the water still 
acting beneficially by keeping that degree up during the night. At least half an inch of clean earth 
must be placed on the floor every night ; and every day dry earth must be well shaken into the 
flannel strips, and left exposed to the air for an hour or two ; it is, in fact, very much the best 
plan, and good economy, to use one mother for the night and another for the day. 
For the first day under the nursery or hand mother, for which a hot water bag is very con- 
venient, a little more heat may be allowed ; but it should not exceed 8o°, and the chickens should 
after that be transferred to the larger apparatus. If that has glass covers to a small yard, as shown 
above, these must be removed in all dry weather, and always kept freely raised for ventilation. 
After the first day or two, the chickens must not be confined, but allowed to run out freely — in 
fact, an open front to the park then answers better than a small door. It will be found that a 
series of small mothers answer much better than very large ones, as a number of chickens foul 
the air underneath it to an injurious extent. The expense need not be great, since, after a very 
few weeks, no artificial heat whatever is required, and the mere covering apparatus will be 
sufficient. 
Finally, it ought to be mentioned that it never answers to rear chickens partially upon this 
system. If they are allowed to get used to the hen’s call, they fret and pine for days, and some of 
them never recover. Or if there are even hens with their broods in the same run, they will run to 
them and get pecked, and fret in the same way. But if either hatched in an incubator, or taken from 
the nest before the hen has called them to food, they thrive at least as well as with the natural parent. 
* Another convenient rearer is the “Simplex,” whose top has a metal drawer, into which is inserted a “briquet,” which 
burns slowly for many hours. This rearer is slung from above, and open on all sides. 
