CHAPTER XII 



BROODING 



Brooding is the process of caring for the yoiing chicks 

 from the time they are hatched until they are old enough to 

 go without artificial heat. The brooder might be termed an 

 artificial mother. Brooding is an important operation on 

 the poultry farm, for it is just at this juncture that many 

 losses occur, and if succeeding generations of pullets are to 

 be successfully reared, it will depend largely on the brooding. 



Points of a Good Brooder. — An ideal brooding equipment 

 embraces four distinct features. 



First, there must be a hover, either circular or square, 

 the circular being preferable. This hover is usually darkened, 

 and kept at an even and fairly high temperature of about 

 90 degrees Fahrenheit. It should be easy to ventilate and 

 very accessible for the birds. 



Second, surrounding the hover should be a brooder com- 

 partment, well lighted, and a little cooler than the hover. 

 In this space the chicks can withdraw from the heat of the 

 brooder whenever they wish, yet at the same time it con- 

 fines them in close proximity to the hover and heat. 



Third, connected with the hover compartment, but within 

 the brooder house, should be a light run or yard, the floor 

 of which should be covered with clean sand and fine litter. 

 After the chicks are a few days old, they can be allowed to 

 runin this in-door pen, and thus become gradually accustomed 

 to a cooler temperature before being let out of doors. 



Fourth, all brooder houses should be provided with an 

 out-door run which furnishes some shade, a rather dry and 

 sandy soil, and an abundance of green feed (Fig. 71). 



Types of Brooder Houses. — Three general types of brooder 

 houses are in use; the small colony brooder, the large colony 



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