be gradually lowered, and it depends upon the season of the year just how much it 

 should be lowered. The poultryman must use his judgment and operate the brooder 

 according to the condition of the chicks.- Many poultrymen use no thermometer in 

 their brooders. They study the chicks, and can tell by looking at them if the tem- 

 perature is right. This emphasizes the fact that for best success the poultryman 

 must understand his business. 



If a brooder has contained chicks before, it should be thoroughly cleaned and 

 disinfected before putting in a new brood, both to discourage lice and to kill any 

 disease germs that might be lurking in the cracks and corners. Scrub thoroughly 

 with hot water, in which has been placed good commercial disinfectant or cresol 

 soap. The brooder should be thoroughly dried before the chicks are placed inside. 



In the round hover, instead of gradually reducing the temperature by changing 

 the regulator, it is preferable to tuck up the curtain a little at a time as the chicks 

 increase in age, and give them more air, which has the advantage of reducing the 

 temperature, and the fresh air aids to quick development and hardiness. 



THE COLONY SYSTEM. 



The majority of poultry-breeders employ the colony system in brooding their 

 chicks. The individual hover is used probably more than any other. This hover 

 may be placed in almost any kind of a house, and is sometimes used in long con- 

 tinuous brooder-houses. It gives very good satisfaction, and is easily operated. 

 About fifty or sixty, and with some hovers seventy-five, chicks may be brooded under 

 one hover until they are five or six weeks old. In the case of colony houses, the 

 hover can then be removed and roosts placed in position. 



Combination colony brooder-house, breeding or laying pen. The 

 house In Illustration Is 8 feet deep and 16 feet long, and will accom- 

 modate up to 300 chicks ; Is built upon two 4 x 4-inch runners, and 

 has two sliding windows in front. Can be used as a primary brooder 

 till chicks are past the danger-point, i.e., the first fourteen days ; and 

 they can then be removed to colony houses on free range. When used 

 for this purpose, the house can be stationed close to farm buildings 

 and enable rancher to pay more attention to chicks with less labour 

 and time than when they are out on free range. 



To save the expense of a brooder-house for comparatively early spring work, 

 when the weather is bad, and before green food is available on the range, colony 

 houses can be brought up near the farm buildings. The limit of time for caring for 

 the chicks can be much reduced by this method. As soon as the weather moderates, 

 however, it is very desirable that the chicks be placed out upon the open range. 



The house in the illustration is 8 x 16 feet, and will hold four hovers, with a 

 capacity of fifty chicks in each. This can be utilized as a breeding-pen, laying-pen, 

 or cockerel-pen later on. Twenty or twenty-five birds can be easily accommodated. 

 This house can be readily moved by a team of horses. The advantages of the colony- 

 house brooding system over the permanent continuous brooder-house are that no 

 permanent wire fencing is needed, except a small portable fence of 2-foot %-inch 



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