Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-01-11

The style aud finish OF the buildings; i'll
tended fo: poultry depend much on the
purse and taste of the owner. Comfort OF!
the occupants should not be sacrificed, for
without being comfortable the hens can.
not long remain in profit. Avoid low or
damp localities, rs this gives roup, or
brings on low state of health, which
invites diseases, or results in ley weak
ness and cmaciated birds, the progeny of
which will he victims of the gapcs, pip
and similar disease. The location should
be on dry upland. gravelIy soil, and
we'll drained. Fowls can endure
much cold without serious injury,
providin. it he dry. The floor slloul,: not
be Of brick or cemented, but if a solid
flooring be required, it may be paved with
cobb!e stones, deeply imbedded in gravel,
and loose gravel or sand scattered over the
surface, which can be removed once or
twice u year and replaced with fresh. Over
this a!r-slaked lime may be scattered lib
orally, or wood ashes. If coal ashes be
supplied, place them in a box in one cor
Der Of the room. The box should he deep,
that the fowls may not scratch them out
over the floor. Fowls, when confined, are
fond Of scratching and picking among coal
ashes. In them they find something that
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unless two-stOry. Eight feet ut the peak
should gradually slope down at the back
or north end to about four feet. Here
should be the roosts. The southern por
ton should be perhaps about five feet
erect. and the glass windows inclined from
this this to 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 battened boards, or what
is still better, latiied and plastered. This
warmth will be retained we'll throughout
the night. The advantage Of low roosts,
close to the roof, is obvious. 1t is good
for heavy breeds Us we'll rs light.
Directly beneath the roosting poles,
should be a level scaftoldiny of smooth
boards, to catch the droppings, and so
close to it that the fowls may step from
the rOost thereon. and with Il short flight
aiight on the ground. This scatfo!d should
have firm supports underneath, or extend
from cleats on the sides of the build
ing, arranged for this purpose. 1t should
he we'll covered with al -slaked lime,
which holds and absorbs the moisture and
odor OF the droppings. In this manner
they may he readily and easily removed
each week, by scraping off into an empty
barrel, and conveyed either to sthe com
passed heap or applied directly to the soil
This rOOsting arrangement is admir-
able for the large-combed varieties.
The nearncsS to the roof con-
fines the heat that escapes from the body,
and prevents freezing in the severest we;,-
ther. At the same time, it is well adapt
ed for the heavy birds. Dsiigured feet
and sllanks are always unsightly, and |
should be guarded against as much As
possible. The IIoudans, too, are heavy
breed Heavy and light breeds should not |,
be congrcgated together together in large i
numbers, if possible to avoid it. The |
nest boxes should be arranged under the
,caffold, and be somewhat shaded, as |
owls like their places of laying quiet aud !
'etired. Their rOOsts, too, are better pro- |
tected from the full glare of the light
,ut this is not important, as they ~n be-
come accustomed to and rather enjoy it,
,ut at first it disturbs them little.