The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-04-07
Home and Farm

much space per chick as the manu-
facturer says. That Is, a so-called
"1O0-chick brooder will just about hold
fifty chicks comfortably, and that not
longer than four weeks. More chicks
, die from overcrowding in brooding,
than from wrong food. Strong chicks
can be moved to cooler brOoder or
place, at four weeks or even three in
summer.
l like brooder with glass top, to
admit light, yet of course, such can
not stand outdoors, but its inmates
crowd less to the sides than without
the glass top. The lower the BROOD
er, the easier chicks run in and out.
You cannot have one high enough to
stand up to, as YOU can with an in
cubator, so why not put it down low
enough for convenience of the chicks
The first disappointment may be
when you get out your brooder used so
satisfactorily last year, and find 1t
fan of manure. the tank or lamp
rusty, and some of the pieces miss
ing. If your brooder is in such con-
dttion, go right now and see to It,
Don't even wait to finish this article.
An old knife Is a good cleaner.
found washing with much water
swelled the doors. Use a wet cloth,
wrung out we'll, from water contain
ing some baking soda and borax.
Sun and air the machine thoroughly.
What is the use of a brooder, If
you allow old hens to hang around
it and infest it with lice? One 'wo-
man owned that she let her chickens
sleep in her brooder from April
when they were Matched, to Septem-
Der whein they were sold. 1t is hard
to wean chicks from the brooder, but
if pig-box or organ-box be bat
tened, or an old refrigerator, all Of
which l have utilized, be set where
the brooder stock, the chicks will
use the substitute as home. I'm
less you sell old, doa.ineering fowls
early, chicks are better off by them
selves. If the lenhGusc is largely
cleared of its old occupants. like
to make chickens lodge there, be-
cause the al! is better than in a low
box. 1t takes several efforts to ac-
custom them TO new place.
The incubator is so perfect nova
days, that Matching is no great art.
But you will notice less is said about
brooders, and fewer directions given
about them than about incubators be-
cause instructors do not know so we'll
what to say. Some of the first breeders
had bottom heat only. 1t was easier
to arrange, but often caused leg
weakness. Top heat is most like that
of the old hen, but she puts it all
ever the upper surface oil the chick,
not on the head alone. Moderate heat,
both at top and bottom, succeeds we'll.
Watch your chicks, not the ther-
mometers, though you can lay some
easily cleaned kind of thermometer
right on the floor of the cover, to
compare with hanging indicator. If
chicks are lying down quietly, or
twittering, they are probably COM
Portable. II separate and gasping, they
are too warm, and will soon doze
themselves away. When too warm
t,hicks sweat, take cold and have
pneumonia, even when several days
old. They huddle together when cold,
and trample each other, but, FORUM
ately, soon notify you of their chill,
by continuous peep of distress. Cold
chicks develop bowel complaint. If
its vent becomes pasted over, kill the
chick. or else soak the rear in warm
water. cut away little down and
anOlnt signify with sweet Oil. BrOOder
temperature when the machine is en-
PITY. is raised about 10 degrees by in
PRODUCTION of chicks. like to start
them at 80 degrees, but many sue
cessful raisers begin at 100 degrees. 1
am confident there are differences in
brooders,- which each operator must
solve for himself. Soon reduce the
heat to 80 degrees, then to 20.
The budding of chicks sometimes
comes from lonesomeness. Make their
hover more elaborate, with more strips
OF flannel, or feathers stuck on, or
piece of sheepskin. A smuggling, a
warm back. are what many chicks need
more than warmer. air. The hover
may be removed, for more room, If
chicks are strong, at the age of two
weeks