Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1926-01-14
[)(N]ITRY
THIc $3.50
GOOD BROODER is
QUITE IMPORTANT

One of the most necessary appli-
ances in the poultry business is good
brooder so the chicks can be cared for
and raised successfully regardless Of
weather conditions.
According to 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-burning brooder stove.
although there are as many ways of
brooding chicks as there are bills of
fare" 1t Is best to procure a stove of
500-chick capacity and brood $50
chicks with 1t. This gives about the
right number for the stove and the
most successful number to place in
one group.
A house, 10 by - feet, high enough
to allow the attendant to 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 unbleached 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. 1t should be remembered
that IL 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 floored.
1t should be placed on a concrete
foundation to prevent rats harboring
under the floor II portable houses
with double floors are used, one-inch
mesh wire should be stretched about
the house to 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.
1t Is good plan TO run the brooder
stove a day or two before placing the
chicks around 1t. SO that you may I'M
derstand 1t and get the right tempera-
ture, which should be 80 to 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
or straw should be kept on the floor
of the brooder house. Care should be
taken to keep this litter clean, espe-
cially around the stove where ii should
be cleaned at least every other day.
Often when brooding the early
chicks 1t is necessary to confine them
to the house for weeks. In such In
stances it is well to supply greens and
moisture. Sod helps solve this prob
lem, but the chicks should not be al
lowed to eat too much of the dirt. II
the chicks seem to be too dry as
shown by the condition of the fluff and
feathers, it is suggested that moisture
be added by placing can of water
on the stove or lightly sprinkling the
floor about the hover after removing
the droppings and before putting In
the new litter.
When first placing the chicks in the
house. 1t Is well to make a round pen
of inch mesh wire two feet outside the
edge Of the hover. This should be re-
moved as soon as the chicks become
accustomed to the stove.
One thing to bear in mind is not TO
overcrowd the house If you are ex-
pecting your chicks to do their best
Even in small fiocks 1t is best to pro-
vide some means of preventing the
chicks from crowding. roosting de-
vice across the north or back side of
the house will assist in the prevention
of crowding. This device should be
made with three roosts about eight
inches apart and about twelve or four
teen inches from the floor.
1t is very important that the chicks
be kept free from contamination. The
yards and runs should be cultivated
and sown to small grain at least once
yearly and the brooder house should
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