CENERAL PLAN OF A BROODER. 



103 



prevents the heat from escaping so rapidly 

 to the top of the chamber and outer air, and 

 makes a warmer brooding place for the chicks. 



Such a curtain, reaching to within 

 Curtains -^p, ;,^(-]^ q(- ^-^^ lloor, has another 

 Hovers. "^se, in that chickens instinctively 



seek to " go under " something ; and 

 It also locates the brooding place for them. 

 These are good points. On the other hand, 

 such a curtain confines the air, and causes 

 some of it to be re-breathed, than which no- 

 thing can be worse. The result of American 

 experiences, according to which health was 

 improved by ventilating the " hovers " of 

 brooding houses, and recent developments in 

 doing away with hovers and curtains altogether, 

 appear conclusive to the effect that it is better 

 either to dispense with curtains, or if retained 

 for the sake of their instinctive help to the 

 chicks, that they should be copiously ventilated 

 by ])lenty of free apertures all round the top. 



Only one other type requires notice, shown 

 in Fig. 61. Here the heat impinges upon 

 the metal roof C of a large lamp-chamber, 

 which we have here shown with a .rmall central 

 flue F, the best form in our opinion, though 

 by no means universal. This is at some little 

 distance from a sheet-metal lining under the 

 bottom of the chick-chamber, which has a 

 large aperture in the centre from which rises 

 a short drum, or flue, surrounded by a 



I- ig. 61. — Vemilatinf; I'ype. 



uire guard G, as in the former diagram.s. 

 The outer air enters through the spaces S S 

 between the two sheets of metal, is thus 

 warmed, and passes up the drum against a 

 metal radiator, as shown by the arrows. The 

 radiator is here shown with a curtain, as de- 

 scribed above. In brooders of this construction 

 the wooden floor above the metal lining becomes 

 gently warmed for the feet of the chicks, and 

 jiure, warm air is poured gently down over their 

 backs, while the lamp fumes pass out altogether. 

 With various minor modifications, this general 



construction appears rather a favourite one in 

 America for single out-door brooders, and is 

 also used in England. 



Whatever the type, the general arrangement 

 is pretty common to all, and experience has 

 shown it to be desirable. The brooding or 

 warming portion itself is in all our 

 General Plan diagrams supposed to be seen end- 

 Brooders, ways, and should, in reality, occupy 

 one end only of a chamber about 

 double the length. Thus, besides the more 

 heated part, there is the other end farther from 

 the heat, where the chickens can have a warm, 

 but still cooler temperature. This part should 

 have a window. They can then to a great 

 extent suit themselves, and in brooders of 

 modern construction usually do so. This much 

 is sufficient for what are called in-door brooders, 

 or more properly, such as are meant to be 

 used under a shed, or other adequate shelter. 

 Where this is not the case, another and outer 

 apartment becomes necessary, roofed over at 

 least, and all the better if the roof is glazed, 

 but with one side, or front, open-netted. In this 

 the chicks have a slielter from biting winds and 

 rain, and need only run into the brooder when 

 they really require warmth. In such an outer 

 shed they should always be fed, when not fed 

 in the open air itself; it constitutes, in fact, 

 their scratching shed and shelter when they 

 have no other, and should have all the constant 

 care and cleanliness of such a shed, but in higher 

 degree. There may be, besides, an outer run 

 only wired over, but this will depend upon cir- 

 cumstances, such as cats or vermin. A brooder 

 thus further furnished becomes what in England 

 is called an " out-door rearer " complete, and 

 many forms of such can be seen at the principal 

 poultry exhibitions. The reader will be able 

 readily to refer any of them to some one of 

 the t)'pes above. 



In arranging a brooder for work, people 

 differ. The floors of most are necessarily 

 raised, owing to the requirements of the lamp, 

 and this also keeps them. dry. Some prefer 

 to have an inclined chick-ladder or gangway 

 sloping from the entrance to the ground ; others 

 prefer to excavate a hollow, and place the 

 brooder in it so that things are on the ground 

 level. This has some advantage in shielding 

 the lamp from winds ; but on the whole the 

 other is best, especially for changing ground 

 every now and then, and it is easy to arrange 

 a sheltering board if required. A complete 

 " rearer " goes all together on the ground, of 

 course, and in it the lamp is perfectly shielded, 

 and storm-proof from all e.xcept flooding. 



Ill regard to choice of a brooder or of a rearer, 



