304 Bulletin 2^^. 



degrees. The more the chickens crowd the warmer the flock becomes, 

 and the more attractive is the source of heat to the chickens on the 

 outside. If a temperature of nearly loo degrees is maintained, the 

 chickens will spread out of their own accord. They can be trusted to 

 remain in the temperature which is most comfortable to them, which 

 also will be the temperature best suited to their needs. The first sense 

 to be developed in a young chick seems to be the sense of touch, as 

 manifested by the sensation of warmth, which to the chick means 

 comfort. The first instinct, therefore, to be awakened in the chick 

 appears to be that of location. When once it feels and sees the source 

 of heat and comfort, it will almost invariably return to it. 



The importance of a proper temperature in a brooder cannot be 

 overestimated. Without warmth chickens do not sleep well. They 

 crowd together and are compelled to stand to avoid being trampled 

 to death. A chicken cannot sleep standing. Without sleep a chicken 

 does not rest. Without rest a chicken cannot grow. Sleep and rest 

 are as important to a chicken as to a baby. A large part of the slow 

 growth and mortality with young chickens is caused by lack of sleep, 

 due to lack of warmth. 



A higher degree of heat can be maintained with a gasoline burner 

 than is practicable with a kerosene burner. The even heat of the gaso- 

 line vapor flame insures a constant temperature of loo degrees over a 

 small area under the heater, and a living temperature of 70 to 90 degrees 

 under the hover at its outer area. 



2. Maintaining pure air without drafts 



Pure air is of more importance to fowls than it is to other domestic 

 animals because of the warmer temperature of the fowl's body. This 

 high body temperature is maintained by combustion of the food nutrients 

 contained in the blood in the presence of pure air. Without pure air 

 perfect combustion is impossible. Without perfect combustion the 

 chick cannot be warmed from within the body and therefore will not 

 be comfortable nor healthy even in a warm brooder. The chick is a 

 quick-growing, quick-breathing animal, requiring rapid digestive and 

 assimilative changes, and therefore suffers seriously and quickly when 

 closely confined and compelled to breathe impure air. Leg weakness 

 is almost certain to result from close confinement and heavy feeding, 

 which usually are accompanied by a close and more or less vitiated 

 atmosphere. 



The gasoline-heated colony-house brooding system provides for a con- 

 tinuous supply of pure air from outside the house. When the air enters 



