Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-03-30
AGRICULTURE.

POULTRY BoUsEs.-Tbe stvle and
6nish of the buildings intended for
pouItry depend nuch on The purse and
tasre of the owner. Comfort OF the oc-
cupants should not be sacrificed. for
without being comfortable the hens
csnpot long remain in profit. AVOID
low or damp localities, as this gives
loud. or brings on low state Of heaith
which invites disease. or results In leg
weakness and enaciated birds. the
nropenv of which will he victims OF
the gapes, PIP and similar diseases.
The location should he on dry npland-
gravelly soil. and be well Grained.
Fowls can endure much cold witbou'
section injury. providing 1t he dry.
The floor should not be Of brick or ce-
mented, brit If a solid flooring be re-
ouired, 1t may be paved with cobole.
stones. deeply imbedded in gravel. and
loose gravel or sand scattered over the
surface, which can be removed once OF
twice a year and replaced with fresh.
Over fhi- air slsked lime may te scat
tered literally, or wood ashes. II coal
ashes be supplied, place them in q box
in one corner of the room. The oox
should he deep, that he fowls may not
crafch them out over the floor. Fowls,
hen confined, are fond Of scratching
snd picking among coal ashes. In
them tney find something that assists
in the digestion of their food, while
also finding employment. The build
ing should not be high or lofty, unless
tao story. Eight feet at the peak is
sufficient for all ordinary purposes,
llx-c 10 Of
back or north end 10 about four feet.
Here should be the ro0sts. The SOUTH
ern portion should be perhaps about
five feet erect, and the glass windows
inclined from this 10 meet the rafters
at the peak. This plan gives the sun,
rays directly on The ground floor, and
ON sunny days creates a great degree
of warmth, If the building be made
air tight, or as nearly as can be with
matched or batteDed boards, or what
Is still better, lathed and plastered.
This warmth will be retained well
throughout The night. The advantage
OF low roosts, close TO the roof, is obvi
Gus. II is good for heavy breeds as
we'll as light.
Dire city beneath the roosting-poles
q
tcards, to catch the droppings, and so
close to il that the fowls may step from
The roost thereon, aud with short
fight alight on the ground. This
scaffold should have firm supports un-
Cerpeath, or extend from cleats on
The sides of the building, arranged for
this purpase. Ii should be well cov-
cred with air Stacked lime, which
holds and absorbs the moisture and
,dor of the droppings. In this man.
ner they may be readily and easily
removed each week, by scraping of
into an empty barrel, and conveyed
either TO the compost heap or app lied
10 the soil. This roostiDg arrangement
is admirs bic for the large combed va
rieties. The nearness 10 the root con-
fines The heat that escapes from the
body, and prevents freezing in the Sc
VI crest weather. At the same time, il
Is we'll adapted fer the heavy birds.
1eet and shanks are always
unsIghtly, and should be guarded
.es;lst as much as possible. The Hou-
dams, too, are heavy breed. Heavy |
and light breeds should not be congre-
gated together in large numbers, Ii
possible 10 avoid it. The nest boxes |
should be arranged under the scaffoid,
and be somew hat shade d, as fowls like
neir places OF laying quiet and re-
.ITed. Their rUosts, too, are better pro-
ecitd nom The full Z are OF the light;
out this is Lot important, as they sUon
Decome accustomed To aud rather en-
oy il, but at first il disIurbs them q
tile.