3^ The Machine as a Mother. 



BROODERS. 



Almost every poultry-keeper who raises 100 or more chick- 

 ens uses a brooder. Many who do not use incubators find 

 brooders indispensable. The chicks are hatched under hens 

 and as soon as they are dry are placed in a warm brooder, and 

 another setting of eggs is placed under the hen. Cheap and 

 serviceable brooders are made by dealers everywhere. For 

 the benefit of those who desire a home-made article, we give 

 descriptions of two that have proved successful. 



Fred Grundy uses 

 the one shown in Figs. 

 AandB. The brood- 

 er complete is shown 

 in Fig. D, while Fig. 

 C is the shelf or par- 

 tition on which the 

 tank rests. The whole 

 thing is 24 inches BROODER. FIG. D. 



square and 12 inches 



deep. The tank is 16 inches square and five inches deep. It 

 rests on pieces of lath laid across an opening 14 inches square, 

 cut in the center of a shelf or partition which is supported by 

 cleats nailed to the sides of the box. The hover cloth H, is cut 

 in pointed strips as shown, and is tacked to the pieces of lath. 

 Heat comes from boiling water poured into the tank. During 

 the first ten days of the young chick's life it is enough to draw 

 off six quarts of water three times a day and replace this with 

 a like quantity boiling hot. It is poured in at the top pipe and 

 drawn off at the side. The pipes are closed with corks. When 

 the chicks first go into the brooder, the drawer D (see Fig. B) 

 in which they are placed is run on the cleats, so as to get them 

 up close to the heat. After about ten days the drawer is run 

 at the bottom of the brooder, thus giving more room. There 

 are four one-inch holes, one at each corner, for ventilation. 

 In Fig. D is a large door X, to the brooder and also a smaller 

 one, S, for use in cold weather. When the chicks are large 



