Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-09-14
A Word 90 Poultry Raisers.

A Word to Pcultry Raisers.
q. VI. T. johnson, in the Western Rsrs..
gives some excellent sdvice tn poultry
groxers, and tells how To make a gn,d
chicken house In the frat place, il Is
supposed your fowls are If u healthy
stick of their variety, are clean aud free
from vermin, and you wish to keep them
So. To this end you must so build your
house that should vermin get in, you can
''clesn them out" Rats are greater
drawback than all else. They will get
so bold that in ones very presence they
will carry off chickens as large as quals,
and perhaps whole brood in three days.
1t is almost impossible to get rid of them
until you tear away their hiding place.
Do not locate your cOOps near to such an
old Earn or shed, the walls or floors of
which will furnish protection for them.
Select dry site. Dampness is disease
and death to poultry. Let your house
have no floor but earth. Let that be
higher than the ground outside, so water
will not come in. 1t is we'll to cover the
floor with sawdust to about two inches
deep, if convenient. If not, let the top
soil be taken away often and fresh earth
thrown on. Round poles, three or four
inches through, make the best.
RoosTs.-They should be broad. Many
fowls get a crooked breast-bone by sitting
on narrow roosts. They should be nova
BILE, that they may be taken out and
whitewashed. Let them not be over
eighteen inches from the ground, that the
fowls may not receive any injury in get
ting of. Many fowls, especially of the
larger varieties, receive serious damages
by flying or jumping four or five feet
from the roost. They get a hip set up,
back twisted, knee sprained, foot cal
loused and other injuries. Steps ara often
furnished fowls, 80 that they need not fly
off, but they seldom use them except to
get up.
NEsTs.-Let them also be movable,
and prefer near or on the ground.
Quite favored plan now is to put the
nests on the ground and platform above
the platform. They then can be kept
clean very easily. Nasts should every
year, and oftener if troubled with vermin,
be taken out, cleansed and whitewashcd.
Arrange them so that the hen can step in
on her eggs and not be obliged to jump
down, aud so incur the risk of breaking
the eggs. Some use barrels or half bar
rels, with nests at the bottom, and then
scOld because the hen breaks so many
eggs. Make the nest in dark part Of
the house, if there is one, and opening
from the light if convenient. The hen
likes seclusion when she is laying.
FEED Box.-Have it protected. Ar
range box, open at the top by lid, and
Stats on two sides running up and down.
Put feed inside SO that hens can get their
heads but not their feet in the dish. Pro-
tect the drinking vessels in the same way !;
and here will say consider galvanized
iron dishes the best. You can get them
made of any sizc or shape. They are not
to he broken, will not rust, and can be
cleaned with hot water, and will last for
years.
WINDows.-Put them ON the south
side. Let the building be very tight
against wind aud rain. Allow no direct
draft on the fowls at roost; it is very bad.
Let the holes made for the fowls to go
out and in by be as far from the roosts
as possible, and during very rainy, windy
and cold weather let them be closed.
Ventilation should be we'll provided for.
If your house is as tight as it should be,
make holes as high in the peak under the
roof as possible. I here give dimensions
for small poultry house, we'll calculated
to accommodate q cock and eight or ten
hens Five feet by seven feet on tho
ground; three and half feet from ground
to edge Of roof; six feet from ground to
peak of roof; door at one end or one side
two feet wide; nests on ground ut the
other side, running lengthwise of house;
platform just above nests; roosts four
inches above platform; holes for ventila-
ton in front and rear peaks; roofs Of dry
boards pressed tight together, and cracks
batfened; sides the same; or if the whole
is made Of very dry. narrow matched
boards pressed together il will be lighter.
The whole, whether rough O. smooth, can
he coserrd With water lime paint, WHICH
aay one can apply. and IL requires elese
inspeefion % tell i. from Cd paint, and
sill lbs: = loag time Brackets exa be
placed GO the f~ar corners So poles ca
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