BROODERS

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 93, 21 April 1933, Page 13

BROODERS

Along with the purchase of the inciibator must come thoughts of a brooder to take the resulting chicles. It is ii 6 use buying a good incubator and trust* ing to luck: to rear the chicks1 any old way; ' Remember that' the- -advertised 300 chick brooder will usually take only half .that number successfully. Many keen poultryinon design and make their own brooders, for with 'experience they evolve aj,,type which suits' their- Own systems.' Here again you' should -«eek the advice1 of a nearly poultryman, and by following his advice and -carefully""observing his management you will learn at least one system thoroughly. A ty.pe of brooder ■which has been well tested, and found very satisfactory all over New Zealand is the "Twin Brooder." This is a'-canopy'kerosene brooder, with two lamp's,--which'takes 300 chicks comfortably. Tho cost of fuel for six to seven weeks' is only about iOs, and thero is little'trouble in management.'You need a good draught-proo'dr-shed for the incubator, and also "for'the, brooder. Anybody with ordinary care can successfully hatoh. , chicks,\. Wt rearing theiri is quite a.-fljSerent matter. Probably 40 to 50 per cent, of the dayold" chicks sold each season die before jnaturity. The>.chicks are not to blame, but the owner must learn. One of tho most successful b'roeders\today lost 75 per cent, of his first 600 chicks, only a matter of six years ago. General management, feeding,- Weaning, culling, disease control, and perching problems ' have all to bo before | 'success can bo achieved. A certain amount of -theory ,is required which ' can- bo obtained, from good poultry books and periodicals, but"only personal practical experience can eventually teach you how to become a good cjiicken tear.er. "Women folk are usually, better than men; for., they observe those small details more'-quickly, and have the "mother sense" so vital to good management. <