




A SUCCESSFUL BROODER HOUSE. ive 
The production of any large amount of this out-of-season stock 
by natural methods of rearing is, of course, out of the ques- 
tion, and the incubator and the brooder must. be relied upon 
largely. The facilities for brooding the chicks vary according 
to the needs and resources of the different owners, ranging 
from a jug of hot water in a tight box to the huge pipe-system 
brooder houses found upon the leading poultry plants. But, 
unfortunately, in too many cases these brooding systems are 
inadequate, being poorly designed or improperly constructed. 
As aresult the mortality among chicks entrusted to them is so 
excessive that it cuts down the profits very materially. In 
fact, observation leads one to believe that the greatest source 
of loss on the average poultry plant is to be found in the heavy 
mortality among chicks under two months of age. 
A brooder building designed for the rearing of chicks during 
the cold months should embody several distinct features. For 
the health and well-being of the chicks it should be so con- 
structed that the temperature and ventilation can be absolutely 
controlled, plenty of sunshine admitted, and enemies of all 
kinds kept out. For the comfort of the attendant and the 
economical conduct of the business it should be convenient in 
every way. Under this latter head are grouped many factors, 
because convenience in this case must include caring for the 
lamps and hovers, feeding and watering the chicks, managing 
the doors and windows, and keeping the house in a thoroughly 
sanitary condition. It is the object of this article to describe 
briefly a building which seems to embody most of the require- 
ments enumerated above. 
In the fall of 1903 the officers of the Connecticut Agricultural 
College decided to erect an additional brooder house at the 
college poultry plant, and plans prepared by the writer were 
approved. The structure was built during the fall and winter, 
and has been in constant use for several months. As this 
period has included both extremes of temperature, the test has 
been a fair one. ‘The results have been very satisfactory. 
Owing to the requirements of the poultry work of the Col- 
lege it was necessary that the building should be adapted to the 
purpose of instruction and experimental work, requirements 
which do not confront the person wishing to erect a house for 
practical purposes only. For several reasons it was decided 
