Rural School Leaflet ii6i 



Removal of chickens to brooder. — When the temperature in tlic brooder 

 has been nmninj,^ steadily at ioo° F. for a few hours, and the hatch is 

 completed, the chickens may be moved to the brooder. Care should be 

 taken that they are not chilled at this time. A basket or a box lined 

 with flannel is good for this work. The chickens should be removed to 

 the brooder about an hour before dark in order that they may spend the 

 first few hours quicth- under the hover. They should be placed under 

 the hover when they are brought from the incubator. This teaches 

 them quickly where to find the heat. 



Management. — If the brooder is large, the chickens should be kept 

 from wandering away from the heat by means of some boards set up around 

 the hover. These boards ma}^ be moved out a little each day until they 

 can be removed permanently. After the chickens have been moved to 

 the brooder, they should be watched until they are settled for the night. 

 It would also be well to look at them again two or three hours later in 

 order to be sure that everything is all right. If the temperature under 

 the hover is right at this time, some of the chickens will be peeping out 

 from under the felt around the sides of the hover. If none of the chickens 

 can be seen, and if they are all back under the hover, there is danger 

 that the temperature may drop too low before morning. 



Outdoor run. — During the first two or three days the chickens may be 

 confined to the brooder, but as soon as the}^ have the run of the whole 

 brooder floor and have learned where to find the heat when they need it, 

 they may be allowed to run out on the ground if the weather is favorable. 

 Some sods may be piled by the exit door so that it will be easy for the 

 chickens to run out and in. In order to prevent the chickens from wander- 

 ing too far from the brooder, a small yard may be made by setting up 

 some wide boards. This enclosure should be very small at first and may 

 be enlarged a little each day. When the chickens are let out on the 

 ground, they should be watched carefully the first day to be siire that 

 none of them remain out long enough to become chilled. 



Cleaning the brooder. — If the young chickens are to live and grow 

 satisfactorily, ever^^thing around them must be clean and sanitary. The 

 brooder should be cleaned often, and new chaflf should be put on the 

 floor. Never let the floor become bare, for a bare floor is cold, easily 

 soiled, and therefore very injurious to young chickens. 



Disinfecting. — In order to avoid disease it is a good plan to spray 

 the inside of the brooder occasionally with disinfectant. One of the 

 small hand sprayers of the plunger type is satisfactory for this work. 

 A good disinfectant can be made of one quart of wann water and two 

 tablespoonfuls of zenoleum, creolin, or any good stock-dip, which can 

 be purchased at a drug store. 



