Poultry for profit

by R. A. Power

We must imitate the mother hen again in the artificial incubation of chicks, in regard to cooling. We saw in the previous chapter, how the hen leaves her nest occasionally to take food and water, with no ill effects on the hatch. Likewise we must cool the eggs in the incubator. This can usually best be accomplished while turning the eggs. Five or ten minutes a day are usually sufficient for the proper cooling, unless it is near the end of the hatch, when twenty or thirty minutes can be used for this purpose with safety.

On the seventh and the fourteenth day, it is a good plan to test the eggs in the incubator, so that the infertile eggs may be removed. This is done by a process known as candling. Hold each egg up in front of a light and note the appearance of the interior of the egg. This can be done by making a hole in a box, that will fit over a light or lamp, and then holding the eggs up to the light, showing through the hole, which should be in line with the flame. If the egg appears clear, free from any dark spots, then the egg can be taken out of the incubator, as it is not fertile, and will not hatch. However, if the egg shows a dark spot, about the size of a bean, and you can detect small blood vessels running from it, then you may be assured that the egg is coming along in good shape, and will hatch out in due time.

With these points well in mind, one will have little difficulty in properly running an incubator, providing he has a reliable machine to begin with. Of the matters considered in this chapter, probably the most important factor of all is the constant maintenance of a uniform temperature. Now, then, let us consider that the chicks are pipping the shells and are ready to start out in life. We will therefore consider the care of the chicks in the next chapter, until they are able to care for themselves.

CHAPTER V.
BROODING

Whether we hatched the eggs by means of an incubator, or bought the day-old chicks, if we have no mother hen to care for the chicks after they are hatched, we must take care of them ourselves. This is called the brooding period. Unless the hatch is quite late, which, by the way, is not desirable, we will have to arrange to supply some cheap, simple form of artificial heat, to prevent the young chickens from getting chilled. This is accomplished in several different ways, but we will only discuss the more common ways here.

There are several different makes of readymade brooders on the market, but one can in a few hours spare time, construct a brooder that will answer the purpose. The chief part of the brooder is the source of heat. Usually these heaters can be bought for a few dollars, and placed in a good box supplied with a little litter on the bottom.

A common arrangement with brooder equipments is to have two compartments, one where a hover is placed, and the rest of the brooder constituting a run for the chicks. The two compartments are usually partitioned off from each other, allowing just enough room at the bottom of the partition to allow the chicks to pass from one compartment to the other. In the hover compartment is placed the heater, and a metal canopy, so that the heat will be held down close to the floor, where the chicks are located. At first, the chicks should be confined to this hover entirely, because they are liable to get lost if they wander away from the hover, and consequently die from chilling. The temperature of the hover compartment during the first week should be about 96 degrees F., and each succeeding week it should be lowered by at least two degrees. This can be done by controlling the lamp, or what ever heater is used, or by gradually raising or lowering the canopy over the chicks. This method gradually toughens the chicks up, so that they can soon be let out doors. After the first week or so, they should be encouraged to get out into the other compartment for exercise, as this will aid in making them hardy. After the first few weeks of the life of the chicks are past, they will need less care and attention. These first few weeks are the critical weeks of the bird’s life. After the chicks get accustomed to the temperature out in the run of the brooder, it is advisable to cut a small hole at the run end of the brooder box, so that on pleasant days they can run outside on the ground around the brooder. In this case, however, they must not be allowed to run very far at first, and only for a short while until they gradually become accustomed to the practice.

Another important consideration in raising the young chick to maturity is the matter of food. Probably no other thing is responsible for such a high mortality in young chicks, as is improper feeding. We have learned in a previous chapter that it is exceedingly dangerous to feed the chick anything in the line of food for the first two days of its life. Many people are afraid the chicks will die if not fed immediately after hatching, and hasten to feed the chick all that it will eat. Unless the chick is endowed with a wonderful digestive system, it will succumb to this over-feeding through digestive disorders. It is permissible to put a little grit before the chick at this time, because the chick has no teeth, and never will have, so they eat the grit, and this grit passes down to the gizzard, which grinds the food in place of grinding with the teeth, as with other animals. Fresh water is also good for the chick during this period, as the water quenches their thirst, and makes them livelier. Towards the end of the second day, it is well to feed the chick a little sour skim milk, or buttermilk. Sour milk is superior to the sweet milk for two reasons. First, the sour skim milk has bacteria that aid in digestion, and secondly, it will be found that it will be hard to keep the milk sweet all the time, and by feeding sweet milk part of the time, and then letting it become sour, digestive troubles are liable to develop. Hence, by having it sour all the time, no danger from this source will be experienced.

Now, we are ready to consider what kind of grain we shall feed the chick. On the third day we can start to feed a little grain. What is known as pinhead oatmeal is very good to start the young chick out on. Some feed hard boiled eggs and dried bread for the first feeding with good results. It is important to note that only enough of this first solid food should be fed that they can clean up in a short time. Keep them hungry, and remember that it is much safer to under feed than to over feed.

For the next week, or so, a scratch ration, composed of cracked corn, pinhead oatmeal, cracked wheat, together with a little grit, and finely ground oyster shells can be fed. This can be fed in the litter, so that the chicks have to exercise to get it. In fact, that is just what we mean by a scratching ration; one composed of whole or cracked grains, mixed in with the litter, so that the chicks will have to scratch for their feed, and thereby obtain the exercise necessary to their health. If a little green feed of any kind can be added, so much the better. Green grass is excellent to throw into the chicks.