FIRELESS BROODERS HAVE COME TO STAY 



Fireless brooders have come to stay, at least in California. I 

 do not mean to say that they would be suitable in a broiler plant, 

 for there chicks are raised not to be muscular and sturdy, but tender 

 and fat, and for that they require to be kept always warm and fed a 

 fattening diet, and the heated brooder is or may be better adapted 

 to their needs, but for the sturdy chick, the chick we want to de- 

 velop into a first-rate layer, or a large market fowl, or a winner at 

 the show, the fireless brooder, properly handled, in this climate is 

 excellent. 



Some few months ago I gave a description of a home-made 

 fireless brooder which one of our readers made two or three years 

 ago. Several made some by that plan and have expressed their 

 great satisfaction at the ease with which they now raise their 

 chickens. At the same time I mentioned that many of the poultry 

 supply houses had excellent fireless brooders for sale. Since that 

 time I have met a number of prominent poultry breeders here, who 

 had been quite prejudiced against these fireless brooders, just as 

 many poultry raisers years ago thoroughly disapproved of incuba- 

 tors, and I find those who have tried the brooders without heat 

 are loud in praise of them. 



One very successful business man who wins prizes every time 

 he exhibits, said to me : "These fireless brooders are great. I have 

 not lost more than three per cent of my hatches since I have used 

 them." And in talking over the brooders with many others I find 

 that one of the great advantages is that there is no fear of fire. 

 Where no fire is, there is no danger of either smoke or a confla- 

 gration, which is a very great comfort to a busy poultry man or 

 woman, and especially at night- 



I have lately seen a brooder made by Mr. Hammons, the man- 

 ager of the mammoth broiler plant near Los Angeles. It is easily 

 made and has some points of special value. 



The brooder made by Mr. Hammons is his own invention and 

 he has no objection to any one copying it. It is a box 20 inches 

 square and 6 inches deep, and in each corner has a small block 4 

 inches high for the frame of the hover to rest upon. The lower 

 frame does not fit tightly in the box; this is one of the new im- 

 provements; there is a space of about a quarter of an inch on all 

 four sides; this is for ventilation. A door four inches square is cut 



HAMMON'S FIRELESS BROODER. 



