CHAPTER III 



Brooding, Breeding and Yarding 



Brooding Problems 



Under hens, brooding, except for supplying proper feed, 

 the requirements of which will not vary much from artificial 

 brooding, resolves itself into care of the hens. 



Under artificial brooding other problems have to be faced, 

 the principal of which is supplying artificial heat in proper 

 manner to the chicks. 



Artificial brooding may be either indoor or outdoor. Out- 

 door brooding must almost of necessity be carried on with 

 small flocks, because the capacity of nearly all outdoor brood- 

 ers is limited to the care of about fifty chicks, at the outside, 

 up to the age when they need no further hovering. 



This is a serious objection to outdoor brooding for large 

 flocks, because the work of caring for many brooders in this 

 manner will prove arduous. A more serious objection, how- 

 ever, and one which materially affects the growth and well 

 being of the chicks, will be that, owing to weather conditions, 

 coupled with the fact that probably several hours of day light 

 will pass away before the arrival of the attendant, the chicks 

 will be confined within the limited space of the brooders for 

 too many hours for their welfare. 



There are at the present time many good indoor brooders 

 maniifactured. Some of these require special provision in the 

 shape of a pit or depression to care for the lamp. Some of the 

 later makes of indoor brooders are made in such a self-con- 

 tained and safe manner, that they can be placed on any ordin- 

 ary floor without any special provisions being necessary in 

 the building. These can also be used as outdoor brooders, if 

 thought desirable, or, on special occasions, by placing them in 

 large boxes for protection from the weather. 



For a larger poultry business, there are brooders manu- 

 factured, and in use, which care for from fourteen hundred to 

 fifteen hundred chickens in one lot. These brooders originated 

 in California, and proved quite a success there — in fact they 



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