BROODING-NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL 



THE BRbOD HEN AND HER FLOCK— BROOD COOPS AND RUNS— BROODERS, 

 AND CHICK SHELTERS— CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF BROODER CHICKS 



P. T. WOODS, M. D. 



THE essentials for successful brooding by the natural 

 method are comparatively few: 

 A reasonably quiet, motherly hen to brood the 

 chicks. 



Any box, barrel or coop sufficiently roomy to comfort- 

 ably confine the mother hen, and made water-tight as to 

 roof, will serve for a brood coop. 



A chick shelter of slats or wire netting, provided with 

 a light weight tent fly or a wooden roof to provide shade 

 and to keep out the wet. We prefer the tent fly as it admits 

 more light. 



Given these, a fair sized range, and a variety of whole- 

 some food, and rearing a flock of sturdy, healthy chicks is a 

 simple matter. 



The Brood Hen and Her Flock ^ 

 When the little chicks hatch on the 21st day, if two or 

 more hens are coming off at one time, the hen which has 

 proved the most tractable while sitting, the one that shows 

 the most good hen-sense should be chosen as the mother, 

 and she may be given as many chicks as she can cover com- 



f o r t a b 1 y. The 

 number allotted to 

 one hen will vary 

 according to the 

 season of the year, 

 but almost any 

 fair-sized hen will 

 be able to care for 

 from fifteen to 

 thirty chicks with 

 ease, and in sum- 

 mer weather w e 

 have seen one hen 

 with a flockTof fifty and all doing well. Small flocks 

 are preferable, however, as'each chick has a better chance. 

 There is safety in small flocks. 



Not every hen that brings off a good hatch will prove a 

 good mother. Some of them show a disposition to kill the 

 chicks almost as soon as they are hatched, and must be care- 

 fully watched so. that the chicks can be taken away before 

 they are injured. Others are clumsy, and awkward and 

 trample the chicks. Where there is any opportunity for 

 choice in the matter, give the brood to the quiet, motherly 

 hen. 



As soon as the little chicks begin to dry after hatching, 

 place the hen, selected for a mother, in a box containing a 

 clean bed of dry straw. Put the chicks under her and darken 

 the box by covering it with a piece of coarse burlap. Do not 

 cover it too closely; remember that they require an abund- 

 ance of pure air. If the hen was well dusted with pure 

 fresh ground Persian insect powder (pyrethrum) two or three 

 days before hatching time there will be no need to worry 

 about lice. 



This plan of moving hen and chicks to new quarters 

 rather than letting them remain in the hatching nest is not 

 absolutely necessary, but frequently saves losses from chicks 

 being crushed or trampled in a crowded nest. The hens 

 which are not to be allowed to raise chicks can safely be 

 depended upon to take care of any eggs which were late in 

 hatching. 



Fig. 1 — A practical brood coop for a mother hen 

 with chicks. Illustration shows the coop closed. 



Fig. 2 — Practical brood coop with board door 

 open forming an extension of the floor. Illustration cured in dark- 

 clearly shows construction. 



Feed and 

 water the hen 

 when you move 

 her. All that 

 her brood re- 

 quires, for the 

 first twenty-four 

 hours after 

 hatching, is rest 

 and quiet, and 

 this is best se- 



in 

 ened quarters. 



Brood Cooiis and Buns 



While almost any box or barrel coop can be made to 

 serve as a home for the new brood, the "A" coop shown in 

 the illustrations herewith is one of the best and has the ad- 

 vantage of being convenient, comfortable, inexpensive and 

 easily portable. 



Such coops and shelters can be easily and cheaply built 

 from packing cases or waste lumber of any sort. Matched 

 stock is preferred, but common boards with the cracks bat- 

 tened will answer equally well. The dimensions may vary 

 according to the lumber available. A comfortable size is 2i 

 ft. from floor to peak, with a base or floor 2J by 3 ft. or 2i 

 ft. square, according to sizes of available material. The 

 slatted "A" shaped chick shelter may be made of common 

 lath nailed to 1 inch square framing material. Make these 

 the same width as the brood coop, to fit under the "hood" 

 and have it the full length of the laths. 



The simple construction of the "A" coop is clearly shown 

 in the aicoompanying illustrations. Roof, back and slatted 

 front are made in one piece, the boards being held together 

 by cleats. The floor is made separate and to the front is 

 hinged the board or door used to close in the front. This 

 board door when closed, is held in place with a wooden 

 button. See Fig. 1, showing the brood coop closed. The 

 hood in front is made simply of two boards, as shown, and 

 provides additional protection for the front of the coop from 

 rain and also serves to engage and hold in place the slatted 

 chick shelter. Fig. 2 shows the brood coop with' board door 

 open. Fig. 3 



shows the roof 



raised leaving 



the floor free for 



cleaning. In 



Fig. 4 the slatted 



chick shelter is 



shown in posi- 

 tion ready for 



use. 



Fig. 5 shows 



brood coop with 



lath chick shel- 

 ter engaged and 



with tent fly 



in position. 



The tent fly is 



made of heavy K«- 3-Practical brood^coop^with roof raised for 



