On large plants, where chicks are to be raised on a large scale, the brooder-house 

 heated by hot-water pipes is one of the most economical. In this case, only one 

 building is required, and all the work to be done in caring for the chicks can be 

 done in the one place. There is only one fire to tend, and the work of feeding and 

 watering the chicks can be done much easier than wlien the chicks are scattered 

 about in individual brooders. However, there is no doubt but that the chicks have 

 a little better chance in the colony brooders, for they are kept in small numbers, 

 have less restricted range, and have a better chance to pick up more of their living. 

 The furnace for heating purposes is usually situated in the basement, at one end of 

 the brooder-house. The pipes run from the furnace to the other end of the house 

 and return. The pipes may be of any size, the 1-inch and 2-inch sizes being most 

 frequently used. These pipes, two " outflows " and two " inflows " or more, if neces- 

 sary, run parallel to one another the length of the house, and are about 6 inches 

 above the floor. In some brooder-houses the pipes are higher at the extreme end 

 of the building than where they enter the furnace. This allows for graduted heat 

 for chicks of different ages. 



The runs attached to permanent brooder-houses should be of generous size. 

 Many poultry men in the past have not provided sufficient yard-room for brooder- 

 chicks. Whatever size the yards may be, they should be frequently disinfected by 

 air-slaked lime, dug up, and some quick-growing grain or vegetable planted, such as 

 wheat, oats, rye, kale, millet, or rape. The latter is mostly used. 



Fig. G. A good serviceable grain-hopper. Can be made to any size, with parti- 

 tion running longitudinally down centre one side being utilized for cracked or 

 whole grain, the other for dry mash. 



ADDITIONAL METHODS OF FEEDING. 



No. 1. Whole-wheat bread is fed for the first day or two, and is gradually 

 substituted by johnny-cake. After a few days, cracked corn and cracked wheat are 

 fed. The johnny-cake is made of five parts cornmeal, one part wheat middlings, and 

 one part beef-scrap, with a little soda mixed with sour milk and steamed until 

 thoroughly cooked. Another johnny-cake is made of 2^ quarts of bran, 2^ quarts 

 of cornmeal, 2 quarts of ground oats sifted, 1 quart of clover-meal. These are mixed 

 with milk or water, with a pinch of soda added. Mix the whole thoroughly into a 

 stiff dough and bake three to six hours in a slow oven. 



No. 2. Feed cracker-crumbs or dried bread-crumbs, thoroughly mixed with finely 

 chopped, hard-boiled eggs. There should be four or five times as much crumbs as 

 there is egg. Pinhead oatmeal or rolled oats are also used. The chicks are fed this 

 several times a day, and after a time cracked grains are fed. 



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