The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-15
ARTIFICIAL BROODER
A BOON TO INDUSTRY
but, Before Their Perfection,
Many Millions Of Chicks
Lost Their Lives.
SEVERAL KINDS SUCCEED
Fireless Best for Small Plants,
but Heated Ones superior II
Used on Big Scale.

~ PROF. r. n. sTONEBURN.
The poultry industry owes a debt OF
gratitude TO the man who invented the
orooder. without this piece OF Chick
machinery" the work Of the poultryman
would he much more dlfficut and the re-
suits less sure than at present. II is true
that the early brooding systems were
crude and wasteful. that they sacrificed
millions Of chicks and caused many an
ambitious poultry venture to end In fall
ure. But this Is the history OF all inven-
tions, and as result " the experience
Of former days We now have reached a
decidedly advanced stage In brooder con-
struction.
II would be Idle TO say tina. tho broodcr
10 absolutely perfect. that no further i'm
pr0vement can be made. but II 10 true
that It is no longer difficult to rear In
Breeders large proportion Of the chicks
Entrusted TO them.
However greater success In rearing
chicks artihclally IL not due entirely to
the Improvement Of the breeders. Other
factors have bearing on the matter.
A. poutrymen We have learned how TO
breed and how to hatch better chicks.
Obviously II Is easier to grow strong,
healthy chicks than Weddings.
Unobservant people are prone 10 blame
the brooding system for all mortality OF
chicks during the brooding period. This
r. not Just. The brooder can scarcely be
"
In incubation. even though the results
OF such errors are made apparen, only
through heavy mortality OF the chicks
after they are intrusted to the artificial
mothers.
There are a great many distinct types
OF brooders. These differ In principle. In
size and cost so all classes Of poultry
men can fnd something suited TO their
peculiar needs. OF course there are n
few individuals who still refuse to adopt
these time saving appliances. but the
number Is very small In this latter class
10 conservative New England poultry
grower who announces that he will never
use such machines until they can cluck
and scratch Brooder manufacturers
please note!
The ideal broodcr 10 ono which keeps
the chicks continuously comfortable. pro-
v,des at all times the roper conditions
OF temperature and ventilation. II makes
but little difference to the chicks what
means are used to secure these condi-
lions. From the standpoint OF the poul-
tFyman 1t is desirable that the machines
De reasonable In price, convenient and In
expensive to operate. Labor and fuel
cost money and the more these items
can be reduced the lower the average
cost of the chicks reared.
Brooders may for convenience be
broadly divided into two classcs-hreless
and heated. The latter class may lie fur
ther divided according to the heating sys-
tenn used. as lamp brooders. pipe system
brooders and stove or colony brooders.
Let us briefly consider these IN order.
Fireless brooders are merely an adapta-
ton or the principle underlying the fire.
less cooker. They are tight boxes Of vari-
Gus shapes and sizes provided with cur
tains and pads. the duty Of these being
to retain the animal heat generated by
the chicks themselves. No artificial heat
II ever supplied.
~ In u has
been used In Asia for "A long period OF
time and In this country the principle
has often been applied when necessity de-
manded II Is true. however. that this
system or brooding vas not generally In,
troduced here until a very few years ago.
Chicks Of highest quality may be reared
in brooders OF this kind The first cost
OF these breeders Is low and there IL
no expense for fuel These are big add
vantage. Against this We have "A labor
charge that is extremely hish. since they
require almost constant attention until
the chicks make considerable growth.
Further II Is necessary To divide the
chicks into very small Hooks from twenty
five to thirty-hve in each. as in larger
broods there Is usually much mortality
from crowdlng or "piing up"
In general way 1t may be said that
nreless brooders are OF greatest us. to
those who rear but small number OF
chicks each season and who are In posi-
ton TO devote considerable time to the
work. They are seldom adopted exclu-
sively on plants OF large capacity, though
there they are frequently used to care
for the overflow when the regular brood
Ing equipment IL overtaxed.
Lamp heated brooders are the main
stay OF small and medium sized plants.
Probably no other poultry appliance In so
generally used. There are SO many kinds
that II would be tiresome to record them.
All are alike In that the life giving heat
IL supplied by kerosene oil lamps In
some cases the heat is thrown of by
radiating drums or pipes. In others the
air IL warmed TO the required degree In
heaters and then forced under the hover.
Occasionally a combination OF the two
systems Is used.
Some few breeders OF this type are
equipped with thermos;ats. which auto
matically control the temperature OF the
hover. This Is great advantage. es-
peclally when t is necessary to leave the
machines without attention for any con-
siderable length OF time.
Until very recently lamp heated brood
ers consisted Of the heating system and a
wooden case or small coop. During re-
cent years the tendency has been TO build
the heating system in compact, portable
form and let the poultryman furnish the
necessary shelter. These portable hoverr
may be successfully operated In any tight
box. colony house or poultry house. Oi
ping has been reduced and the selling
price IL correspondingly lower.
The small breeders OF this class com.
fortably accommodate ffty chicks. In
certain cases larger numbers are placed
IN them They are efficient, easily man.
aged may be moved from place to place
without difficulty and admirably NEE,
the needs of the small poultry grower
A great advantage lies In the fact that
one may purchase this equipment as re-
quired and It is not necessary to make @
heavy investment in anticipation OF fu.
ture needs.
The gasolene heated brooder as per.
fecied at Cornell University has man,
points OF merit. This IL really a colony
house OF good size with built In broodel
having a capacity OF several hundred
chicks. The heat Is supplied by a gasolen.
burner--practically q large lsmp---whicf
draws Its fuel from u storage tank havins
= capacity OF several gallons. This IL i
labor saving device and the whole outfl
is convenient and efficient. II seems quit,
improbable. however. that this broodel
all hAa .ta.