THE FARM FLOCK (POULTRY) 



625 



this period are very great, careful observers placing the total mortality 

 as high as 40 to 50 per cent of all chicks hatched. The greater part of 

 this loss is due directly or indirectly to poor brooding. In order to reduce 

 the mortality among chicks to a minimum, good brooders must be 

 used. 



Qualifications of a Good Brooder. — A good brooder for farm use should 

 be capable of maintaining a temperature of 90° to 100° F. under the hover 

 and a temperature of 70° to 85° F. outside of the hover. The chicks should 

 be allowed to choose the temperature in which they are most comfortable, 

 and should not be com- 

 pelled to submit to any 

 given temperature. 



The brooder must 

 be well ventilated, pro- 

 viding an abundant sup- 

 ply of pure, fresh air 

 without drafts striking 

 the chicks. Fresh air is 

 as essential for growing- 

 chicks as good food and 

 water. A two-compart- 

 ment brooder is advis- 

 able, as it permits of 

 feeding the young chicks 

 in fairly cool, fresh air 

 and they are not re- 

 quired to pass directly 

 from the warm hover 

 into the outside atmos- 

 phere. 



The brooder for 

 farm use should be por- 

 table. Chickens should 

 not be reared on the 

 same ground year after year 



A Brooder Heated by Oil Lamp. 1 



The most satisfactory results will be 

 obtained by rearing them in the orchard, in the cornfield after the last 

 cultivation, or on the hay and grain fields after the crops are harvested, 

 moving the brooders from place to place frequently. If handled in this 

 manner, the chicks will make use of a large amount of waste material and 

 will be more healthy and vigorous and make more rapid growth than 

 if confined to small yards. 



The brooder should be usable for some purpose during the entire 

 year. Any brooder which can be used only for brooding chickens is 

 unsatisfactory for farm use. It should be capable of housing the chicks 



1 Courtesy of Prairie State Incubator Company , Homer City, Pa. 

 40 



