Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-04-28

pecially as to hocks of different
ages. Never should the birds be
compelled TO live on a naked floor
Nothing is more discouraging and
moro unnatural to them.
Colony Broodcr Stove System
The colony brooder stove system is
a comparatively modern method. 1t
is coming into very general use,
however. The brooder stove is placed
in the center of a room from IL to
Ii feet square. Either coal or oil
may be used, according to ones pref
erence. The heat is largely self-ad-
justing. 1t is reflected downward and
outward by a large metal hover ele-
waited above the stove and easily ad-
Unstable. The chicks are thus alto
gether in the open, and draw near
to the source of heat, or recede from
it, as their comfort may dictate.
The ideal house in use under this
system may be IA by 28 feet. The
entire space may be divided into two
rooms l 4 feet square. The chicks oc-
cupy the room in which the stove is
located until they are large enough
to be permitted the run of the whole
house, when the door between the
rooms may be opened, thus extend
ing their runway until they are suf-
ficiently mature to get out onto the
ground. Such house should accom-
modate from 500 to 1000 chicks.
The maximum capacity of the big
brooder stove is 1900 chicks; but
only an expert poultryman should
attempt to brood so many chicks in
one flock.
Food and General Care
The litter, sand, and shells should
be the same as described under the
small colony brooder, whatever the
system used. These are as vital to
the general welfare of the little flock
as heat and food.
The first feed should not come be-
fore at least thirty-siX hours after
Matching. The yolk of the egg fur
nishes sufficient food for such length
of time, or even longer.
OF course clean water should be
kept before them constantly. No
sloppiness should be permitted. The
best patent drinking fountains ought
to be always in use.
Oatmeal in any form is a good
feed to begin with. Feed five times a
day at first. The second day begin
to work the feed into the litter.
Make them scratch for everything so
far as possible. Keep them hungry
enough to keep them active. They
must exercise from the first. Their
happiness and their health depend
on their digging day after day for
their food. The poultryman forgets
this at his peril.
The mixed chick feed grain on
sale at any supply store should be
fed in the little after the first two
days. If an extensive business is be-
ing conducted the poultryman should
buy his grains and mix them himself.
A good mixture is as follows: 100
pounds fine cracked wheat, so
pounds cracked corn, and 20 pounds
pinhead oatmeal.
Furnish Abundant Green Stuff
At the beginning of the second
week put wheat bran or middlings
before them for two or three hours
Il day. Beginning with the tenth day,
keep the following dry mash before
them all the time in hoppers; so
pounds of bran, so pounds equal
parts corn meal and sifted ground
oats, with about per cent. meat
scrap. All the green food they will
eat may be furnished them every day
with profit.
A little clean dirt placed before
them in "a box will be good. Do not
let the dirt get on the floor of the
brooder. Keep that clean and dust
less so far as possible.
Chills must be specially avoided.