The chickens first hatched, are to be taken from the hen, lest she be
tempted to leave her task unfinished. They may be secured in a basket
of wool or soft hay, and kept in a moderate heat, if the weather be
cold, near the fire. They will require no food for 24 hours, should
it be necessary to keep them so long from the hen. The whole brood
being hatched, place the hen under a coop abroad, upon a dry spot,
and, if possible, not within reach of another hen, since the chickens
will mix, and the hens are apt to destroy those which do not belong
to them. Nor should they be placed near young fowls, which are likely
to crush them, being always eager for their small meat.
The first food should be split grits, afterwards tail wheat, all
watery food, soaked bread, or potatoes, being improper. Eggs boiled
hard, or curd chopped small, is very suitable as first food. Their
water should be pure and often renewed, and there are pans made in
such forms, that the chickens may drink without getting into the
water, which, by wetting their feet and feathers, numbs and injures
them; a bason in the middle of a pan of water, will answer the end;
the water running round it. There is no necessity for cooping the
brood beyond two or three days, but they may be confined as occasion
requires, or suffered to range, as they are much benefited by the
foraging of the hen. They should not be let out too early in the
morning, whilst the dew lies upon the ground, nor be suffered to
range over wet grass, which is a common and fatal cause of disease
in fowls. Another caution requisite is to guard them against
unfavourable changes of the weather, particularly if rainy. Nearly
all the diseases of fowls arise from cold moisture.
For the period of the chickens quitting the hen, there is no general
rule; when she begins to roost, if sufficiently forward, they will
follow her; if otherwise, they should be secured in a proper place,
till the time arrives when they are to associate with the other young
poultry, since the larger are sure to overrun and drive from their
food the younger broods.