Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-03-06
PIANO BOX HOUSES.
An Inexpensive Shelter For Poultry
In All but the Coolest Weather.

An Inexpensive Shelter For Poultry
In All but the Coolest Weather.
Some years ago, in looking about for
n fad to divert my mind from business
cares and having three-quarters Of an
acre Of land at my disposal and nat
ural affection for thoroughbred fowl,
concluded to try my hand with poul-
try, keeping few for pleasure and
hoping at the same time to get some
made up my mind to become poultry
man I had chicken fever in it's worst
form, and all the noted physicians that
I have consulted have pronounced my
case incurable.
Now, being in doubt myself as to
how long the fever might last and how
profitable might be able to make it,
naturally hesitated about putting
great expense into chicken houses. ]
reasoned that if got sick of the bust
ness I should have very little to lose
if / sold out, but at the same time
biddy must have some kind of home to
shelter herself from the weather and
a place to lay and be dry.
On looking about l found that piano
boxes would answer my purpose very
well. Mr.. Warren described my meth
cd of putting together, and the pic
lures will show the two styles. l pur-
chased my boxes at so cents apiece
and hired two men two and one-half
DAVIS to put them together
Editors Note.-Mr. Dingley has
reference to the article by the Rev.
Edgar Warren, which appeared in
the November number of Poultry
Keeper. The main facts touching on
these houses were put by Mr.. Warren
as follows: Did you ever think of the
possibilities that are in two piano
nearest city for so cents apiece!
On a level place lay down two joists
eight feet long. Take your boxes and
carefully remove the boards on the
tallest side. Spike the boxes to the
joists so that the open ends will face
each other. With the boards you have
taken out close up the gap between
the boxes on the back and roof. Put a
door in front, pane of glass on either
side of the door, complete laying the
floor, put in a roost, cover the building
with good roofing paper, and you
have a house that will accommodate
a dozen hens at cost of not over So.
In these poultry houses. crude as
they may look, I have cared for 300
old stock and chickens and have raised
some as fine fowls as could be raised
with farm range. 1 preferred first
to make a success with my birds, hop
ing to produce a line of birds that
would equal the best, and then if
could sell stock and eggs for Matching
purposes at fair price and thereby
make little profit for myself from the
profits derived l would build poultry
houses as I could. My boxes have
been so successful that had l much
money to expend in houses I should
yet continue to use them for summer
houses, as they fill every requirement
Of course 1 have large yards connect
ed with each of my six houses.
There is nothing like few standard
bred hens for pleasure and profit
While there is not great profit in a few
hens, there is more than enough tt
pay for the trouble besides the pleasure
one gets from caring for fine flock
of birds of good breeding. Much OF
the success with poultry depends upor
ones liking for the business and the
care the birds receive. Give the same
care and thought to flock of hens as
one would to a herd of cows, and the
profit will be as great in proportion tt
the care and money invested.
There are great possibilities in the
poultry business for persons of bust
ness ability who are willing to work
In an egg producing hen much depends
upon the care and feed. A hen to be
a good layer, to my mind, must be fec
for eggs from the time she is Matched
until she commences to lay. Meat an6
vegetables should form a prominent
part of her diet l am of the opinion
that the two hundred egg hen 1 read
so much about nowadays is produced
not so much by breeding as by care
and feeding.
Perhaps it will be of interest to know
what do with my fowls in winter.
have a stable So by % feet with nict
dry basement. l purchase my hay
pressed, so can use my hayloft fol
my breeding pens; also the basement
which makes fine place for my grow
ing stock and extra cockerels. 1t is my
intention in the spring to build a mod
ern henhouse.-Parke G. Dingley IL
Poultry Keeper.