Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1904-09-08
Floors Of Poultry Houses,

The floor of the poultry house Is a
matter OF considerable Importance for
good many reasons. The health and
safety of the fowls are directly af-
fected. Some poultrymen prefer earth
floors, some board floors, and some
floors of cement. The latter are very
uncommon, but are being put in by
some poultrymen that are raising poul
try on a large scale. The main con-
troversy is between the advocates OF
wooden and of earth floors.
Some years ago the Farmers Re-
view sent out inquiries to a large
number of poultry raisers asking what
kind Of floor they preferred. The
answers were overwhelmingly in favor
or board floors, and it is evident that
board floors are far more common
than the other kind. In the main
they are the safest kind of floors to
construct and have hitherto cost less
than would cement floor. There are
numerous things to be said in favor
Of board floors. They are suitable for
any kind of location, be it dry or
damp. They can be built of any
thickness, single or double or hollow
with tarred paper between to keep out
the cold. They may be placed near
the ground or put far away from it.
They may be even raised so high that
there will be room for scratching
sheds under them or for big boxes into
which the manure can be scraped at
cleaning time. They dry cut readily
IL wet, and in fact have few objec-
tional features. They may. however,
IL hollow, become the breeding places
Of rats and mice, and this is one Of
the great objections to them. Lice
and mites find hiding place in the
cracks between the boards. If kept
too wet the boards swell and some
times bulge up. In case Of fire they
make good food for the conflagration
They rot in the course Of time and
from the beginning of that process it
is impossible to keep them clean. If
allowed to absorb droppings they be-
come thoroughly scented, and this
odor can never be taken from them.
These objections are, however, quite
theoretical, as the careful poultry
raiser can readily prevent most Of
| tutul. lISJ, IL IuS is hSpI COV-
cred with sand, dust or other absorb
ent material, the lice will not be like
ly to get into the cracks, as lice do not
like dust. If often cleaned out the
house should not become so filthy as
to lead to the rotting of the boards.
The dirt floor has proved very OBJ
jectionable in some cases. especially
where natural soil was used as a
floor. In the case of chicks such a
floor has not infrequently proved q
source Of supply of cape worms, and
such chicks have been killed by gapes
when other chicks kept on board
floors, but in the same poultry house
have not been affected. Where the
dirt floor is used the natural dirt
should not be allowed to come to the
top, but it should be overlaid with
something else, perhaps coal ashes OF
cinders or even sand. The dirt floor
is always hard to clean, except where
much straw Is used.
!, The cement floor will doubtless be
a more extensively used in the future
a than it has been in the past, vas we
!. are evidently entering on a cement
!. age. 1t is clean, durable, rat proof
q lice proof, easily cleaned, non-perme
a able by droppings and odorless.
/. few mora hans on avery farn,