The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-20
FTKEIHlss TROOPERS AND
 4.EadIEE ATuREs EoR. BRooDING

Washington, Jan. Cold or dre- less brooders are successfully used in a small way by many people and can be either purchased or built, accord ing to the D. s. Department of Agri- cultures specialist As their com struction is very simple, many peo- pIa prefer to build rather than to buy them. The body heat of the chickens is the source of warmth in this system. which requires that sew receptahle to generate and retain the heat. Small hre1ess hovers with ad- unstable quilts or covers are used in both indoor and. outdoor ybrooders and in colony houses. A box IS inches square Eand inches deep is ment of Agriculture as good hover of this type.
 The number and position of the quilts used over the chickens in this box are regulated according to the weather and the nunlber of the cold weather the quilts should sag so as to rest on the backs of the. newly matched chickens and there should be little or no empty space in the hover. while in the warmer weather or with older chickens the quilts or covers are raised or part of them removed. From 12 to 40 chicks are usually placed in dre- less brooder, 25 being the average number while small lots do better than larger ones under this method The litter in these brooders must be must be watched carefully and close ly to see that they are comfortable and do not sweat Priceless brood CTS may be used in connection with heated breeders, using the latter for l7 to 10 days and reducing the heat, which should be governed by the sea- son of the year and outdoor temper atures, before transferring the kchickens to the freless brooder. When first placed in the hreless be put under the hoVers frequentIy. I until they learn where to get warm. l Good results are also obtained with these brooders when used in a heat ed room.
 l Correct Tsemperatures for Broodinc.
 The best temperature at which to keep a brooder tor hover depends up on the position of the thermometer, l the style of the hover, the age of the Eehickens. and the weather condi- ttions Aim to keep the chickens 1 1comfortable As the operator learns by the actions of the chickens the amour of heat they require, he can
 discard the thermorneter if he de
 sires When too cold they will crowd Itogethers and try to get nearer the heat If 1t IS fOunQ In the morning ItIat the droppings are we'll scattered
 under the hover it is an indication that the chickens have had enough heat. If the chickens are comfort
 able at night they will be spread out
 under the hover with the heads o1
 some protrudfng from under the I hover cloth. Too much heat vii
 cause them to9pant and gasp and si
 around with their mouths open.
 It is impossible to state for eacF
 case at what temperature the brood. CTS should be kept to raise young
 chickens; however, it will run from
 90 degrees ups to 100 degrees in some
 cases, as some broods of chickens I seem to require more heat than oth
 CTS, an average being 93 degrees u { 95 degrees for the first week or ter E days, when the. temperature is grad T uaIIy reduced to S5 degrees for tn, following 10 days, and then lowered .I to TO degrees or 75 degrees for a the chickens need heat. This de
 bends sorneyv hat on the season of tn Il year and the number of the chickens
 as it can be readily seen that tn heat generated by 50 chickens would
 raise the temperature under tn T hover to a higher degree than tn heat given off by a lesser number consequently the amount of heat fur nished by the lamp or stove will hay, 2 to be regulated accordingly. As tn, chickens grow larger and need les heat. the lamps may be used only a night, and later only. on cold nights The heat is usually cut off at tn