How does an antique brooder work?

[dianneS]

Okay, my mom was telling me today that when she was a kid they would get mail order chicks. They put those chicks in the henhouse in a brooder. She said it had a big umbrella type canopy over the chicks and it kept them warm.

This was before their farm had electricity, and she doesn't remember how in the world the brooder created heat?

Does anyone know how they kept chicks warm per-heat lamp days? I'm really curious to find out. She doesn't think it was fueled by wood, maybe kerosein or somthing?

Anyone know?

 

[CheepSunglasses]

The antique brooders used kerosene. You still see these for sale on eBay once in awhile

.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

Could have been kerosene, may have been a gas model (LPG or natural gas), there were coal fired designs as well.

The gas brooders are still easy to find though they're mostly intended for large numbers of chicks such as you would find on poultry farms.

.....Alan.