South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-02-17
Rearing Young Stock is Trou-
bleSOme Unless Proper Fa-
CiIitieS Are Provided - De-
sign for a Combination
BroOder Colony Laying
House of Simple Ideas.
BY Robert Armstrong.
Expert Poultryman and Writer.


that II chickens are 10 be raised in
large numbers on really profitable
basis. they must be Matched artih-
ciaIIy. II incubated artifcially then
they must be brooded by artificial
heat; for a chick requires a tempera-
ture Of from 90 TO 100 degrees for
the first month or six weeks Of its
life. The success Of a poultry plant
depends upon these two processes,
more especially broOding Most Of
the difficulties are due 10 improper
brooding facilities-either defective
brooding apparatus or the brOoder
house is TO blame. This article has
10 do with the design for a brOoder
house Of known practicability.
Matching is comparatively simple.
If given strong fertile eggs, reliable
incubators are almost certain TO
bring of satisfactory matches. The
machines are usually operated in
cellar, where the temperature is
fairly uniform, and they are prob
ably closely assembled so that it is
easy to care for them. But after
the hatching-from the time the
chicks leave the shelter Of the in
cubator until they are 10 days old;
in fact, until they are weaned from
the brooder. come entirely different
circumstances. The poultryman is
likely to regard life as a very seri
Gus proposition during this period.
L. frrh
phase of poultry raising is likely to
prove 50 distressing and trouble
some as the rearing of young stock.
Yet. IL this part Of the work can be
accomplished without serious mis-
hap. IT is a truly delightful. interest
ing task.
Chicks require warmth. sunshine,
fresh air. exercise and stimulating
food With the exception of the
latter. ali of these essentials are OBJ
tanned by the brooder Yes, even
exercise is governed 10y the condi-
tions found in the brooder, without
which leg weakness and countless
other troubles result.
Methods of Chick Rearing.
There are many kinds OF brood
ing apparatus and a wide variety Of
brooder houses; lack of space for
bids a detailed description of them
In the main they are divided into
three general classes: CD the
small outdoor brooder. of about So
chick capacity, CD the long brooder
house with narrow pens and yards
heated by overhead hot-water pipes
or individual lamps, 60 the colony
brooder of 500 to 1.5OO-chick ca
uacity. heated by uquid-fuel burning
or cOal-burning hot-air stoves.
In the small outdoor brooder we
find the Ereat trouble lies in taking
care of so many small units. scatter
cd over a large area. especially in
stormy weather Furthermore. in
stead of an even temperature, or
one with considerable reserve, in the
small brooder we find "a variation of
perhaps 80 degrees between noon
and midnight, with nothing but the
close supervision and untiring eff
forts OF the attendant TO meet this
irregulaIity. lie must guard
against weakening the brood 10y hav-
ing them overheated, or having them
chilled. which is still worse for them.
Tnquestionably. this method is pro
ductive of excellent results. if one
has the time and patience TO devote
To it. Large units do not raise quite
so many chicks as the smaller ones,
because the mortality due to acct
dents is greater in the larger units;
lut. commercial poultrymen figure
and correctly SO. that IL is easier and
cheaper 10 provide extra chicks than
extra labor
The long brooder house is the
easiest way 10 care for little chicks.
All the work is done ON the inside.
storms hold no dread for the care
taker. the temperature is more uni
form and il has a big reserve heat.
But. because the chicks are neces-
sarily yarded so close together. and
because such large numbers are
reared on the same ground year
after year il is difficult To safe
guard the hocks against disease.
Moreover. this sort OF "a broOder
house is the most expensive building
ON the farm. and because il cannot
he used for other purposes. il must
lie idle for six months of each year
1Fot-water-piped brooder houses
were extensively used at one time
upon plants where expense Is a sec
ondary consideration. and where il
j. desired TO hatch the greater part
of the year.
Virtues of the BrOOdcr Stove.
Thus there was demand for a
Eroodsng device which would per-
Srul iis work on a large scale. at the
least possible cost for buildings. for
fuel 70. operating costs. and 50 on
The brooder stove was the outcome
OF this demand II didn't just hap
pen. il evolved The large stoves
those having a capacity of 500
chicks or more. and usinc coal foI
fuel have come into general use ir
past four years. whereas iu the poul-
rry-erowing districts o. California
oiI-burning stoves Of this character
have been used for some time
Ten years ago. if one had adVo-
Gated bro0ding chicks in docks OF q
thousand or I.5Qe. the sanity oi
uu~b an aVuonauf rvoufd have Baau