The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-11
By MRS. JOHN c. MOSES lIisNiRsipni CifN. Miss.

Although breeding with hens is the
 easiest and simplest method of brooding,
 artificial breeders are necessary where winter or very early spring chicks are
 raised, where only non-sitting breeds Of poultry are kept. or where large mum bers of chickens are to be raised arti- ficially. To operate a brooder or hover so as to insure comfort and safety for tho chicks requires unremitting care on the part of the poultryman
 ' The best temperature at which to keep
 a brooder or hover depends upon many things-the position of the thermometer
 the style of the hover, the age of the ! chickens, and the weather conditions Aim | to keep the chickens comfortable, As l the operator learns by the actions of the chickens the amount of heat they
 require. he can discard the thermometer 1 if he desires.
 When too cold the chickens will crowd together and try to get nearer the heat
 If it is foued in the morning that che droppings are well scattered under the
 hover it is an indication that the enick- ems have had enough heat. If the chick ems are comfortable at night they will
 be spread out under the hover with the
 heads of some protruding frem under the
 hover cloth Too much heat will cause them to pant and gasp and sit around
 with their mouths open.
 | II IS lnlDCSSlDlt to Stdlt Itt tttNi to'c lat what temperature the breeders should be kept to raise your chckens; heweveS. lit will run from % to 100 deg ~ecs in scNne
 cases as some broods of cheKens seem hto require more heat than Sthers. The average is 95 to 90 degrees for the first week or 10 days. when the temperature 1 is gradually reduced tos S5 degrees for the following 10 days, and then lowered to l 70 or 75 degrees for as long as the chickens need heat. This depends some what on the season of the year and the number of the chickens. as it can be ] readily seen that the heat generated by 50 chickens would raise the temperature
 under the hover to q higher degree than ! the heat given, off by a lesser number,
 consequently the amount of heat Iur-
 nished by the lamp stove will have to be regulated accordingly.
 ! As the chickens grow larger and need
 less heat, the~lamps may be used ctiy
 at night, and later only on cold nights.
 Care should be taken to prevent chilling | or overheating the chickens as it weak
 ems them and may result in bowel trouble l Chickens need cool place for scratch l ing and exercising, in addition to heat 1 Indoor breeders and hovers can be used
 successfully in most sections of the coun- | try in unheated brooder houses except ! during the coldest weather. Outdoor 1 breeders usually have cool comrdrt- ment for exercising where the chickens 1 are fed in cold, stormy weather. If win
 ter chickens are being raised, it is ad- vicable to heat the brooder house to a <. temperature of 60 to 70 degrees, regard
 less of the temperature of the hover.
 which often requires placing brooder ipipes aronund the outside walls of the ] brooder house.
 The need of tlfis heat depends entirely
 upon the breeding system and trs
 weather conditions; but it Is absolutely
 necessary thatfthe heat be kept at the ! desired temperature under the hover. | Breeders and hovers should have from 1 one-half to two inches of sand, dry dirt,
 cut clover or chaff spread over the floor
 and in the broodeE house pen The hovers
 should be cleaned frequently, as clean Illness is essential in raising ehiskens sue cessfully.
 When chickens are first put into ~ae
 brooder they should be confined under or around the hover by placing board or wire frame few inches outside. This
 does not apply. however, to the small outdoor colony breeders. The fence or guard should be moved gradually farther