486 ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION OF GROUSE 



ress was made by installing a small insulated brooding compartment in one section of the all- 

 purpose pens already developed by the Investigation. In 1933 they were equipped with elec- 

 triially heated hovers of sufficient size to accommodate 25 to 30 newly hatched chicks. Wire 

 floors above removable pans to catch droppings reduced the chore of cleaning to the minimum. 



Other types were tried out in an attempt to find units that would accommodate still larger 

 numbers of chicks. A circular brooder house, similar to that commonly used for domestic 

 fowl and equipped with a standard .56-inch circular electric hover providing several heat 

 zones, was tested. Several trials, utilizing from 50 to 200 chicks, were run with this unit. 

 The results in all cases were extremely discouraging. 



It appeared that the proportion of losses mounted as the number of birds brooded together 

 was increased. This also seemed to hold true in other types of units that were used. Not only 

 was it impossible to give the birds the close attention which they received in small units but 

 fluctuations in temperatures appeared to be an important factor resulting in high mortality. 



With these experiences in mind, a colony house was designed to overcome as many of the 

 difficulties as possible. This unit. 12 feet x 100 feet x 10 feet, accommodates 16 individual 

 pens. These are elevated so that the floor of the pens are waist-high for convenience in 

 handling and to raise the chicks above floor drafts. The basal area of each pen is 40 square 

 feet. An alleyway at the rear, as well as one between each set of two pens, facilitates the 

 servicing and care of the birds. To exclude disease-carrying flies, fine mesh screening encloses 

 the sides and sliding doors of each pen. An outside wire-floored run. also screened, approxi- 

 mately equal in length and width to the interior pen but only two feet high, provides fresh 

 air, sunlight and additional space for exercise for the growing chicks. To facilitate frequent 

 removal of the droppings, tough, waxed wrapping paper fed from rolls is stretched beneath 

 the wire floors of the run and above the floor screen. The exterior of this colony house is 

 shown in figure 40. 



All the widely recommended hovers, including feather brooders, contact hovers, radiant agi- 

 tated air types and others, were tested*. None seemed to give the close control that young 

 grouse chicks apparently require. Thus it was that a standard liattery-type brooder was util- 

 ized to house the chicks for the first ten days to two weeks. 



After manv tests, the most satisfactory brooder developed utilizes a heated compartment, 

 enclosed on three sides, with a heavy denim curtain separating it from the run. This run is 

 enclosed with tight-fitting removable wire mesh doors which are hinged at the bottom. With 

 this arrangement there is no opportunity for lively young chicks to squeeze through openings 

 or to hop out while the unit is being serviced. For easy cleaning, the whole can be disassem- 

 bled by removing the sides, floors and dropping pans. 



The battery brooders are placed in a concrete-floored room with large windows affording 

 an abiiiidanie of light. Room temperatures are thermostatically cf>ntrolled to remain as nearly 

 as possible at 70° F. during the early spring. This serves to reduce temperature fluctuations 

 in the batteries themselves. 



Brooder Operation 



To maintain condition" ideal for the growth and development of tlie chicks, much nuisl 

 be left to the judgment nf (he Mllriuhuit. Rrotxling failures usually arc due either to faulty 

 equipment such as conlrd" ulii<li iicrniil a wide temperature variation or to drafts. For this 



• Sr.- A|.|.i-ncli«. p. Bal. 



