POULTRY FOR PROFIT 165 



brooder so that it partly protected the wire-covered 

 run at the end into which the brooder door opened. 

 This arrangement gave the chicks the three tem- 

 peratures which a newly hatched chick requires : the 

 high temperature of the brooder which, with the sun 

 shining on the glass, was very warm indeed; the 

 cooler, but still warm space just outside the door but 

 under the glass; and the out-of-door but well pro- 

 tected space under the wire, where the drinking 

 fountain and some scattered rolled oats awaited the 

 enterprising chick that dared venture so far. The 

 cheesecloth-covered end of the brooder was entirely 

 fenced off, but would be used later. At night a quilt 

 or flannel hover was substituted for the sash. There 

 were six of these brooders, each holding fifty chicks. 

 An easy way of caring for baby chicks without 

 a brooder or brooder house is to have a small pen 

 fenced with inch mesh wire and built against the 

 east side of some building so that it is entirely pro- 

 tected from the prevailing westerly winds. Facing 

 east, with its back against the house, place a good- 

 sized dry goods box which is perfectly tight on three 

 sides. The floor of this box is covered with sand and 

 chaff or finely-cut straw. The fireless brooder, with 

 its twenty-five chicks, stands in this box, with door 

 opening into the box so that the chicks have a little 

 run inside for the first few days. When they are 

 four or five days old, sooner if the weather is warm, 

 they are let out into a little run which is wired off 

 for them just in front of the box; for baby chicks 

 are such foolish, helpless creatures that they can 

 never find their way back if they once get away from 

 the brooder. After a week or two, according to the 

 weather and the disposition of the chicks, this inside 

 fence is removed and the chicks have the run of the 

 pen, but they must never be allowed far from the 



