MAINE AGRICCL/rURAL )vXPERIMENT STATION. 25 



enough so that a person can go in and do the work comfortably, 

 and each one accommodates lOO chicks until the cockerels are 

 large enough to be removed. One of these houses is shown in 

 figure I. 



An improvement has recent!}- been made in these brooder 

 houses by providing for better ventilation. When tlie weather 

 is very hot there is no movement of air within one of these 

 houses, even though the door and windows are open. The air 

 within the l.ouse is practically stagnant and, on account of its 

 relatively small volume, becomes intensely hot and stifling when 

 the temperature outside gets high. The effect on the chicks 

 under such circumstances is bad. They retreat to the houses to 

 get shade, but only to be injured if not killed by the hot. stifling 

 air of the house. To remedy this difficulty a slot 2 feet long 

 and I foot wide has been cut in the back of each house high 

 up under the eaves. This slot is closed with a wooden slide 

 running in grooves which are put on the outside of the house. 

 The opening is covered on the inside with 2-inch mesh chicken 

 wire. On very hot days the slide is pulled out completely so as 

 to expose the whole opening of the slot. At night or during 

 a period of wet, cold weather the size of the opening is regulat- 

 ed to suit the conditions. It enables one to keep a current of 

 fresh air through the house in the warmest w^eather. The eiTect 

 on the well-being of the chicks during a period of hot weather 

 is most niarked and satisfactory. 



.\ FRESH ATR BROODER. 



For a number of years prior to 19 10 the Elaine Station used 

 in rearing chickens a commercial,, hot air, brooder. These 

 brooders never gave entire satisfaction. During the period in 

 which they were used the mortality during the first three weeks 

 in the brooder was too large, and remained so even after all 

 factors other than the brooder had so far as possible been cor- 

 rected. 



After careful consideration of the matter it appearel that 

 there were three fundamental defects in brooders of the type 

 used. These are: (i) In order to get a sufficiently high tem- 

 terature underneath the hover in the sort of weather which 

 prevails in this locality during the latter part of ^larch and 



