Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-01-21
[)(NITRY
GOOD BROODER is
QUITE IMPORTANT

One OF the most necessary appii
ances in the poultry business Is a good
brooder so the chicks can he cared for
and raised successfully regardless OF
weather conditions.
According 10 Director T. W. holland
OF the Missouri state poultry expert
ment station. Mountain Grove, there
Is no better method Of broOding chicks
than the coal-burnlng brooder stove.
although there are as many ways OF
brOodlng chicks as there are "bills of
fare" II Is best 10 procure a stove Of
5OO-chlck capacity and brood 80
chicks With II. This gives about the
right number for the stove and the
most successful number to place In
one group.
A house. 10 by u feet. high enough
to allow the attendant 10 work around
without STOPPING. is preferred The
regular ''foOl-proOf colony house.
makes good brooder house Most
any building that is the right size will
do. We prefer that the upper sash of
the two windows In the front Of the
house be replaced by HRbleaehed mus
lin tackled on frames which are made
to fit the openings. These frames
should be hinged at the top. In this
way we can supply plenty Of fresh air
without drafts even during the coolest
weather and can fasten them open on
warm days. It should be remembered
that II is just as important to keep
the brooder house Of medium tempera-
ture as It is to furnish plenty OF heat
Immediately about the stove.
The brooder house should be fiOOred.
It should be placed on a concrete
foundation to prevent rats harbOring
under the Hoor. II portable houses.
with double floors are used. one-lnch
mesh wire should be stretched about
the house 20 exclude chicks and rats
from the space under the floor. II the
house is six or eight inches above the
ground this wire may be removed
when the chicks are several weeks old.
II is a good plan to run the brooder
stove day or two before placing the
chicks around 1t. so that you may I'M
derstand II and get the right tempera-
ture. which should be 90 70 100 degrees
a foot from the hover and two inches
from the floor. AS the chicks get old
er, they will choose the desired heat
and you can control the stove so as to
keep them about foot from the hover.
An inch and half of finely cut clover
OF straw should be kept on the floor
Of the brooder house. Care should be
taken to keep this litter clean. espe-
,ially around the stove where II should
be cleaned at least every other day.
Often when brOOdIng the early
,hicks II Is necessary to confine them
70 the house for weeks. In such In
stances II is we'll to supply greens and
moisture. Sod helps solve this prob
EN-. but the chicks should not be al
owed to eat too much OF the dirt. II
he chicks seem to be too dry as
ihown by the condition of the fun and
Gathers. It is suggested that moisture
,e added by placing can Of water
N the stove or lightly sprinkling the
Ioor about the hover after removing
he droppings and before putting in
he new litter.
When first placing the chicks in the
Iouse. ii Is well to make a round pen
I inch mesh wire two feet outside the
dge Of the hover. This should be re-
moved as soon as the chicks become
ccustOmed to the stove.
One thing to bear in mind is not to
yercrowd the house II you are ex-
Getting your chicks 10 do their best.
wen In small flocks II is best to pro-
lde some means OF preventing the
hicks from crowdlng. A roosting de-
Ice across the north or back side OF
le house will assist In the prevention
Z crowding. This device should be
Iade with three roosts about eight
lches apart and about twelve or four
,en Inches from the floor
1t is very important that the chicks
} kept free from contamination. The
ards and runs should be cultivated
ld sown to small grain at least once
early and the brooder house should