POULTRY NOTES.

Shannon News, 7 August 1925, Page 4

POULTRY NOTES.

TYPES OF BROODERS. When it is not desired to rear a large number oi clucks,-and if broody hens are not available in sufficient numbers, a tireless brooder can be easily constructed by -making a l\iglfl mime measuring 18 by 24 inches, over which mosquito or cheese oiotn may be tacked. Place this frame horizontally in a suitable box raised uQOiuit a inches tiuin tne floor. Il a pillow, made of cheese-cloth tilled with kupoc, the same size as the frame be dropped over it about 50 chicks will be warm and snug under it. i . A frame of hail-inch or one-inch mesh wire-netting is very efficacious in protecting tiie young stock from eats, weasels or rats, which usually play havoc with the small unprotected flocks. The same slogan applies just as forcibly to chicks as to older birds—- “ Clean but the brooders every day, and expose, wnen possible, the whole of the interior of the brooder to the sun.

So far as scratching material is concerned straw ciiaff, dry sawdust, or

fine joiner’s chips are very useful for bedding in all kinds of brooders. ‘ A good tireless brooder may be made in the following way. Take a'box ol suitable size, according to tiie number of chickens, and saw off one of the larger ends, about eleven oi twelve inches deep, thus leaving a shallow box with a floor and no top. At one of the narrower ends, inside, nail two small strips of wood, one on each side, abott|t five inches from the floor. Place stone easily removed boards on top ol these strips and the chicks will keep warm and cosy under the boards. As the chicks grow

it ig l important that the boards be loosened to ensure more ventilation. It has been found a good plan to give, when possible; 'a little artificial heat to the brooder for about three or four days before placing the chicks into a fireless brooder- especially when cold nights have been previously experienced. ■ Now, as to deaths caused by overcrowding, the best cure for this is not to overcrowd. .Vs was once said of file Pharisees .this sounds like vain repetition, but the fact remains that a good many people, when they essay tlieir first expei iment in rearing

chicks, try to house 50 youngsters in at brooder con:Articled to hold 25. With the various descriptions of umbrella type brooders, such as, for example,-the Newtown giant brooder, the danger of overcrowding is largelyminimised, provided the brooderroom is of large' dimensions and wellventilated. The latter especially is positively essenl al, and those wouldbe successful -chicken-raisers who t

block up all the ventilators, close the windows tor fear of draughts, should > he warned that they are very unlikely to rear strong and virile stock. Sane ventilation, maximum of available sunshine, and absolute’ cleanliness will do much towards a /healthy flock. , The Newtown giant type of brood- 1 or, mentioned a rove, consists of an upright cylindrical stove, burning coke and coal, and covered with an umbrella-like hover which deflects

the heat on to the chicks. Where the number of chicks exceeds-.a hundred, this method of rearing is (probably unexcelled. The Newtown and similar types require ample ventilation and on a good many of the farms employing that system the brooder-house

is so constructe.i that in very fine weather one or more of the walls collapse SO' as to allow the fresh air to sweep right through tiie whole house (without, of course*' . creating a draught). Hot-water pipe brooders are much ■ on the same lines as the system installed in incubators. On large farms, in going through the brooder house, ihe pipes run utrough about twelve or fifteen broode s. The heating stove is situated right outside the brooder house, the heating apparatus causing the hot water to circulate right through the whole pipe system oi the brooder-house. Usually the pipes in the brooder houses are covered with a wobd frame, around which pieces of cloth or sacking are tacked so its to provide a hover. As an alternative to the wooden frame, some use all sacking, but practical experience has proved the wooden frame method to be .the better of the two ideas. Brooder-houses should always face north, in order to get as much sun its, possible. Moreover, each compartment should be a complete scratching pen of itself, so that in wet weather i the chicks may have all possible exer- j cise, without risk of getting wet. The climate of New Zealand has few extremes, but the hours of sunshine are somewhat short, and we must, therefore take advantage of every hour oi sunlight at our disposal. With lamp brooders it is possible to satisfactorily rear about a hundred chicks to each lamp. The main precaution one should take in making use of this method are: Take down and clean and fill the lamp, clean the wick of all carbon a.s this will collect in the flue and perhaps choke the flame causing the lamp to smoke and perhaps suffocate the chicks. Observe that the flume is burning evenly. Serious accidents sometimes happen to this type of brooder, and, perhaps for that reason alone, they are not popular to-day. Umbrella types are popular in this country, due, no doubt, to lesser risks,of fire and the better method of heat-radiation, the latter being a very important factor in the raising of young stock. With the lamp type amateur raisers are rather apt to give more heat than is

healthful and this great drawback is overcome in the Newtown where a thermostat regulates the heat radiated and obviates the necessity of such constant watching required by the lamp method. The main feature in rearing chicks i? to keen them warm without overheating the brooder-house, and to remember that the vital necessity is fresh air. Unfortunately, many do not realise the necessity of providing the latter and their egg-basket, of the future is the blunt testimony of the way in which they were reared in the' first place.