The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-12-10

feet long and with two other strips
make square fiat surface twenty
four by twenty-four inches. To this
we will nail four legs six inches long.
This when completed has the appear
ance Of q table, Around the eose the
edge of this hover we will nail 4
strip Of flannel or felt five inches
wiue and slashed to a depth OF four
inches every two inches apart. Cloth
from an old pair of trousers will an
swer the purpose If felt Is not easily
secured
Light and Opening.
At this stage of the game We find
ourselves ready to begin work upon
the upper portion Of the door. saw
the twelve inch board into four pieces,
two Of them two feet ten inches
long and twelve inches wide, ana
then two boards into pieces three
inches wide. Mali this together as
described Tor the bottom and TO this
nail on the top the remainder OF the
flooring material. This brooder Is
now ready to be run, with the eA-
ceptien at a couple Of windows for
the chicks and door for the lamp to
enter under the heating chamber
Three six by two inches glasses VIII
furnish sufficient light to all parts
of the brooder One of these should
he placed on each side and on the
other side we viii cut out an opening
So by eight inches in size for a chick
door.
tutu the bottom OF the brooder sides
we Will also cut an eleven inch open
ing. 50 that the lamp NAV be easily
placed under the center of the gal
xanixed floor, In order that the neees-
sary heat may be generated FOR the
little ones intrusted To its care. This
door should be hung on small hinges
so that it may be easy To examine the
lamp at all times. The window glass
should be set in grooves. SO that Thea
may be easily removed for either
cleaning OF for ventilation in extreme
ly hot weather. 4 small incline rum
away may be built from the chick
door to the floor to provide means
for the chicks to come in or out
when they grow older. This can be
made In any manner that suits the
fancy Of the builder but a six inch
board about twenty inches in length
Will be all that IA required. Into the
hover cat small hole to allow the
thermometer to hang. This should
he made SO that the thermometer can
hang within three inches from the
floor of the brooder and about the
same distance from the felt fringe
around the hover. Now that our
hF4oUtf Is Sptlptfttu see ttdi lsie
brooder lamp has been filled with Il
good grade of kerosene oil. and that
the wick has been trimmed SO that
IL will not flare mp and smoke. Place
the lamp under the center OF the gal
vnniGed bottom ana see that there
is at least an inch space from the
top OF the lamp chimney and the bot
tom of the galvanized bottom. if
the chimney OF the brooder stove
ia t,-4H
or one of the necessary thickness, can
lie used as support to elevate II
To the proper height. Previously TO
the heating up Of the brooder cover
the chick chamber floor to depth
OF one inch with either cut clover
chaff or alfalfa. This is used for
twofold purpose--both to keep the
chicks off the smooth surface OF the
brooder. which causes crippled chicks.
and also to furnish the necessary ex-
ercise for the young chicks by making
them scratch fer the tiny grain
thrown into it. The hrooder should
he heated up when the first eggs be-
gin To peep. SO that II will be of the
necessary heat when the little chicks
are placed therein. Hold the heat UP
tn ninety-five degrees or as closely
as possible when the chicks are trans
ferred from the incubator Feed light
~ dittI the ltiNA t"b 0aS y sfhIIte
breeders feed after the chicks have
been Matched thirty-six hours. while
others claim that chick should be
at least forty-eivht hours old before
it's first food is given.
Rest Results: How Obtained.
The most important point towards
success with the use Of this brooder
Is to see that the chicks have plenty
of heat az we'll as ventilation as the
same time One of the safest plans
to adopt with the use of the brooder
is To watch the chicks instead of the
thermometer. If the chickens appear
to be sleeping with their heads stick
ing on the outside of the fringe, while
their bodies are on the inside. then
the heat il at the point where best
results are obtained. The lamp should
he cleaned and filled daily II we wish
to secure regular heat. Cut down the
heat several degrees each week as the
chicks grow older. hut watch the little
ones as we'll as the thermometer and
we will not go wrong often The
first few days of chicks life Is where
It is either saved or lost, and for that
reason ii is necessary that the utmost
care is used, 80 that It may start out
right. l will not ay at this time how
to feed and care for the tiny chaps,
as that will be reserved for a future
article. CLINELEY p. MILLER