ARTIFICIAL BROODERS. 79 



sufficiently, with nothing touching the backs of the chicks ; 

 the chamber being amply ventilated. In some a tank of 

 heated water at the top is used, in others hot-air flues, also 

 at top of the chamber ; a still more general plan is that of a 

 central lamp with glass chimney in the centre of the 

 chamber, surrounded by a wire guard to keep the chicks 

 from coming too close to it. One advantage of the latter 

 plan is that by the light of the lamp the chicks can be fed 

 at night. The great American " brooder-houses " referred 

 to in Chapter VII. are usually heated by a couple of iron 

 pipes, nearer the floor at one end of the house ; the chickens 

 nestle under these, but not touching ; and clay by day or 

 week by week are passed along to where the pipes are 

 higher, and so gradually hardened off. 



Over-heating is easily avoided in apparatus of this sort, 

 as the chickens run out when too warm. Still it must be 

 guarded against, a temperature of about 80 being about 

 right at first : remember, however, that this means with the 

 chickens in ; if it be started at 80, when empty, and left so, 

 the heat of the birds will soon make it much more. It may 

 be kept thus for a fortnight in cold weather ; but should be 

 reduced in warm. There should be an outer sheltered run 

 as well, so that they are independent of the weather ; but 

 all the catalogues describe apparatus in detail, and we need 

 not do so here. We need only add that most people will 

 do best to keep only about fifty together in a smaller rearer, 

 than more ; though when experience has been gained, and 

 many are reared, the number can be extended. 



A wooden floor does not answer for the run, not even 

 when covered with earth, and great care is needed to keep 

 all sweet ; peat-moss being a great help in this respect. 

 But it is a good plan to keep two rearers going for one 

 brood, one for day and the other for night, keeping each 

 one exposed to the open air meantime. 



