Evening star., 1919-03-23
CARING FOR THE HOME FLOCK
BY n. w. RICKEY.
Poultry Specialist. Maryland State College.


At the present time with SO many
types of brooders on the market, 1t IS
problem to decide which to use.
Without question the one selected
should be the one best adapted to the
needs of the individual and to the
conditions under which he is working.
The number of chicks to be raised
and the amount of capital available
must be considered.
The outdoor box brooder and the
portable hover. which can be seen
at most poultry supply houses, are
best adapted to the needs of the man
who raises from 100 to 300 chickens
annually. their, chick capacity is from
fifty to sixty Do not attempt to
crowd in more. There may be room
in the incubator or under the hover
for 100 or more day-old chicks, but
they grow rapidly and as they in
crease in size they require proper
tionately more room.
The coal or oil burning brooder
stoves have come into general use on
the larger poultry farms. Their brood
ing capacity is from 800 to 1000
chicks, depending upon the size of
the stove, but according to the best
available information. which is in line
with my own experience, best average
results are obtained when the num-
Der is limited to between 800 and 400.
This method of brooding usually re-
quires the construction of an espe-
cially designed house. though excel
| lent results may be had with the
stoves in spare rooms Of old DIVE wellings
or outbuildings having a floor space
Of not less than eighty square feet
Before Chickens are nut into tho
hrooder or under the hover, every pre-
caution should be taken to see that
1t is in perfect working order and
properly regulated leaving nothing to
been used it should be thoroughly dis
infected with one of the commercial
coal tar preparations. if operated in
doors. the room should be sprayed and
the material forced into all cracks
and crevices in order to destroy all
germs of disease and any red mites
that may be hiding. 1t is important
that this work be done at least ten
days before the chicks are ready to
be taken from the incubator and dur
ing that time the incubator and room
should be exposed as much as possible
to fresh air and sunlight. They must
be perfectly dry when the chicks are
Lut in.
AS with the incubator. the heating
the lamps and burners cleaned and
furnished with new hard wickS. If
hot water brooders are used. all pipes
and tanks should be tested for possi-
BILE leaks and the smoke pipes of the
brooder stove be freed from accumu
lations of. SCOT, in fact, these pipes
should be taken down. cleaned and
stored away with the stove at the end
of the brooding season.
The temperature under the hover in
the box brooder or under the portable
hover at the beginning should range
from 9s to 1o2 degrees, depending
somewhat upon the conditions and
temperature on the outside. II the
brooder is exposed to cold winds or
the hover is placed in roor where
there is considerable circulation OF
cool air, higher temperature would
be required than If the environment
were more favorable. Under well
protected hover a temperature OF 9S
degrees is about right to start with.
These temperatures are recommended
the thermometer is near the floor, about
on the level with the chicks back when
it is at rest. II the thermometer bulb is
placed farther away from the floor and
up closer to the overhead heating pan
or radiator with which the hovers are
would be required.
The hover floor should be first covered
with a layer of fine dry sand and this in
turn with a bedding of finely cut hay.
the haymow should not be used unless
thoroughly sifted and freed from dust.
Unless this is done chicks will be found
with sore eyes, a condition resembling
somewhat that resulting from colds and
Group. AS cleanliness is one Of the fiEst
sand and the bedding should be removed
and replaced with fresh material ut
least once during the first week aid
from two to three times each week
thereafter, or as often as required to
maintain a cleanly condition under the
hover.
In determining the amount nf heat re-
CURED after the first two or three days
of brooding we depend not SO much
upon the thermometer as upon the ac-
most Of our troubles with the brooders
come between sunset and sunrise we
should be careful to see that the condi-
tions under the hover are right before
abandoning it for the night. The tenn
perature may be right when the chicks
60 under the hover at dusk, but an en-
tirely different condition may develop a
few hours later; therefore, the sensible
poultry keeper should visit the brooder
at least twice during the evening, walk
sounds Of unrest. He should then lift
the curtain and by the light from
pocket fashlight watch for a moment
the position Of the chicks; they are
all nicely spread around over the floor,
some perhaps with their heads sticking
out from under the curtain the condi-
tions are right, but il the chicks are
restless and show signs Of crowding,
which condition is usually accompanied
by q complaining kind Of peeping. which
can be heard at distance, the temper
ature is too low and there is danger of
chilling. When chicks are found outside
Of the hover curtain they are too warm.
unless, as sometimes happens. one part
of the hover is too cold or drafty and
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