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Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 81, 30 October 1939, Page 6

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keep them growing ritliout from the time of 'latcfftng u t^H they reach adult age should be moved and artificial heat, as so much. 4 pends upon the weather and ,t l jM how the birds have done. - fl

Generally speaking,, however, grown White Leghorns sljyguM ready l'or perching when six and seven weeks old, but heavy breed chickens .■usually a couple of weeks longer. TljHi brooder heat should be reduced J*? degrees and the chickens g hardened off, but it is a mistake do this too suddenly. ~ «| Some poultry plants have beem| visited where it is a practice ® turn oil the brooder heat altogether* during the day after the are about three weeks old and wi

supply artificial heat only during the night. This, in many cases, is fc mistake, for In every afotch of chickens there are some which require warmth during the day, and if.they cannot get this under the hover they will crowd together, which of? ten starts other troubles which retard development and have a detrimental eit'ect upon their future-lisq-

ulness. It is not economy to turn

off the licat during the day too soon for the cost of a little extra licat is small compared with the extra earn ing power of well-reared pullets.

Lesson from the Hen. The mother hen gives a good lesson in this matter, for if notice is taken of chickens that are beingL reared in the natural way it wilt be seen that several times during' the day, especially after feeding times, the chickens run under the mother hen and get warm, even after they are over four weeks old. It may not be for long, but "those few minutes' warmth means a great deaf to the welfare and future usefuiiie^f

of growing stock

Great care must be taken to sed that their sleeping quarters are al-j ways dry., clean, and comfortable^

for if their sleeping quarters arecold or damp the chickens soon getj into the annoying and bad habit of; crowding together.

After chickens are about three* weeks old it is a good plan to. re-= duce the heat about an hour afterthe birds have settled down lor the night. This may be done bv gentlylifting ihe litJver about an inch or two. that is, if the canopy tj r pe oTj brooder is in use. If a box brooderis used the lid may be lifted to give; more air and prevent over-heathigj

The weaning house will be all thei better if H is not too big. but it| must be well ventilated, yet freeffrom draughts, and not too cold.'

If this house is open-fronted, it advisable to hang some sacks ori curtains in front at night fo<- the* first week or so after the birds havei been weaned in order to harden; them of! gradually. As young stock are very liable to crowd together at night when first removed fron the heat,, it is well to visit their-

houses just as they are camping in order to train them .to perch with-

out crowding,

It is not advisable to make any change regarding feeding just whoa the chickens are being weaned, but to leave the change of ration untilthey get used to their new quarters*. The change of quarters is quite? enough, at times, to cause a slight check, but if a change of feed is given at the same time the tw<changes are likeb' to be drastic. If; care is taken and attention given? to the little details mentioned, how-; ever, the young stock should de-j velop in a natural way and repayt their owners for any extra lime and; attention given them during their;

growing period,