The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-12-15

course of time but first OF all we sub
nit the only dissenting opinion re-
ceived so far. This letter is from a
manufacturer of freless brooders:
Editor The RANCH
In the November 1st issue of
The Ranch I noticed an article on
Groom Brooding' as now practiced
remember reading Of room broOding
over two years ago, by woman IN
Kansas who said that she used a small
chicks on the floor on plenty OF litter
and she succeeded very we'll.
Room brooding has been practiced
in Petaluma for two seasons by some
of the largest Poultry raisers there as
described from time to time in the
Petaluma Weekly Poultry Journal.
When you say you are the first to
publish anything in regards to
room brooding you certainly are mis-
taken. You have, no doubt, not
noticed the articles in the P. W. P. j.
Ii you can find space would like to
give the readers of The Ranch few
facts as regards brooding such as
have found them.
Placing 1000 chicks or more in a
chicks gathering around that stove to
keep warm is a thing that is done
near Petaluma by some of the largest
breeders and has given good salts
faction. Because this is fact and en-
tirely practical for those men there are
others who do not and cannot because
xpi At 70
with only a few hundred chicks or
tending to wood or coal burning
stove, or an oil burner for they also
must be attended to. have had one
for over three years and know what
they require.
For those smaller breeders, the
brooders holding about 100 chicks or
so would be the only practical thing,
and that is what is used nearly every
where Fireless air breeders taking
the place Of the lamp heated breeders
very fast
The expense will be about the same
burning oil in burner as in the
heated brooders. The burner will re-
quire four gallons of oil per day at 10
cents per gallon is 40 cents per day
for 1000 chicks. 1t cost me two years
ago, when operating % lamp brood
ers, average of Bic per day for oil and
[ never had less than 500 chicks in
brooders at one time, except about
one week first in the season. In the
middle of the season | had $500.
For 1000 chicks | figure it cost about
Ice per day. First part of the season
and on rainy and cold days take the
Chill off the broodhouses with an air
tight stove keeping little heat in
the daytime, gradually letting the fire
go out as the chicks go in the brood
ers for the night. This is done even
in freezing weather. The ventilator
is where | regulate the amount of
cold air into the broOders. The warm
air thrown out by the chicks body is
diftused through the hover and will
raise as the cold air enters. Thus a
circulation of fresh air is always going
through the brooder keeping it dry
and no sweating is possible.
One man who used five of the out
door, last season reported placing
baby chicks in a brooder and forgot to
close some of the ventilators at night
as directed and in the morning when
he found ice frozen on the water near
brooder, thought he had lost all his
chicks, he was however surprised-to
use his own words -"but when | open
ed the brooder every chick came
jumping out. -
In my experience | have not found
anything that will be as economical
and practical as the lampless or hreless
brooder. There is next to no trouble
taking care of them. OF course clean
ing it must be done the same as any
other brooder, but you don't have to