PRACTICAL EGG FARMS. 
Houses and Yards for Breeding Stock, Fairview Poultry Farm. 
However you can assist Xature in the molting 
process by feeding the birds old-process oil meal, 
sunflower seed or other foods which will assist in 
growing feathers as well as nourish the bird. We 
always feed meat during molting, even though 
we get few eggs to pay for it, as it helps the 
birds to recover and get into condition more 
quickly. 
We read a great deal about feeding for fertil¬ 
ity of eggs, as if it were a special process, but it 
is only good, sensible feeding for general health 
and eggs, which includes shell, grit, plenty of 
succulent green food, and a liberal amount of 
exercise, scratching for grain in litter in a proper¬ 
ly ventilated, dry, clean house. 
If White Leghorns are the only variety you 
keep, and you wish to hatch and raise your 
chickens by the natural method, you had best 
get some Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes or Brah¬ 
mas, as the White Leghorn is a treacherous 
sitter even when she is inclined to make a busi¬ 
ness of it, and only a small percentage of them 
will sit. Then you have lice to contend with as 
well as the vagaries of the hen, and if chickens 
are wanted in any considerable numbers, I would 
certainly advise the use of good incubators and 
brooders. 
Our White Leghorns have been hatched and 
reared in large numbers continuously for many 
years by the artificial method, and we are satis¬ 
fied it is by far the best and most profitable 
way. Some few breeders still maintain that 
artificially hatched and reared chicks do not 
make as large, vigorous birds, nor as good layers, 
but our experience is quite the reverse. Buy 
the best incubators and brooders you can get, 
even though the first cost is more—the cheap 
machines are usually “ made to sell ” and would 
be dear as a gift. Run your machines a few 
days before using, so as to become familiar 
with them and able to keep them well under 
control. 
At the end of the 21st day, after the hatch is 
done, open the incubator and remove the trays 
with the shells, unhatched eggs and dead chicks, 
if any, open wide all ventilators and run the 
heat down to 98 or 100 degrees, leaving the 
chicks in without food or water until the next 
day. The brooders, well littered with dry sand 
or finely cut straw in run and hover, should 
now show 95 to 100 degrees of heat under the 
hover. The chicks will now be strong, lively 
and in good condition to transfer to the brooder 
hover, which should be done without chilling 
them. 
Feed very little the first day and give water 
with the chill off, using a good chick-fountain. 
Be sure the chicks have some fine, hard, sharp 
grit with the first feed and always thereafter. 
What to feed is largely a matter of circumstances. 
We use Cyphers Chick Food exclusively for 
first three or four weeks, and like it very much. 
After this we work in a little whole wheat and 
cracked corn, gradually leaving out the Cyphers 
Chick Food. 
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