The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-06-05
;everal plans ana arrangements Ds-

dUS dAtASe0 VI tue COIOuS pun tFc,
first, small focks on free range; sec
Ond, no expense for fencing: third,
there Is less need for scrupulous at
tention to cleanliness and providing
regular supplies of animal and yege-
table feed during summer months.
This plan, however. has the following
disadvantages: First, extra cost Of III
Dor in caring for fowls In stormy
weather. when 1t will often be difficult
to get around to feed and care for the
fowls regularly; second, houses built
on the colony plan. ii built as well, cost
more than continuous house of the
same capacity. for partitions. which
may be constructed largely Of wire
netting. are much cheaper than two
end walls; third, the colony plan al
lows but about 100 birds per acre.
while the continuous house system.
with suitable yards. allows $50 to 800
birds per acre.
The first consideration in locating
buildings is a suitable location for the
poultry house or houses. If possible
1t is best to select an elevation having
natural drainage away from the
building. for damp ground means cold
ground If the house can be built in
the Ice of windbreak or q hill or In
front of farm buildings, SO much the
better. dry. porous soil. such as
sandy or gravelly loan. is preferable
to clay soil. for the former is more
easily kept in sanitary condition. II
it is impracticable to select soil that
is naturally dry the soil should be made
dry by thorough undertakings.
purely sandy soil should not be Sc
lected
AS sunlight and warmth are essen
tial to success. the buildings should
face the south. Other things being
equal. they will be warmer and drier
When a direct southern exposure can
not be obtained southeastern Is pref
cradle to southwestern exposure,
for fowls seem to prefer morning to
afternoon sun. A gentle slope facing
the south is the most suitable.
1t is best to build the houses during
the spring or early summer. for then
they have time to dry out during the
hot days. Lumber is often rather damp
and should be thoroughly dried out be-
fore winter Cement floors and fonn-
dation walls will also have an oppor
tunity to dry thoroughly. and thus
may be avoided much Of the dampness
so often attributed to them.
The size Of the building required will
depend largely on the number Of fowls
to he kept and on the size Of the fo"ks
From forty to fifty seems to be about
as many as Is safe and economical to
keep together With flocks Of this size
about five square feet Of floor space
should be allotted to each bird. which
will suffice In most cases where care
fui attention Is given to cleanliness
and ventilation. II the fowls are kept
in smaller fiOcks more floor space per
bird will be needed. Where the eli
mate Is so mild that 1t is unnecessary
to keep the fowls confined. except for
n few days ut time. less space per
bird will he sufficient The smaller
breeds. being more active and restless
require about as much room as the
larger breeds.
For the greatest amount Of floor
| space for the least cost Il building
should be square. for. other things he
ing equal. the nearer square honSr
| is the less lumber it will take. 1t is
| however out Of the question to have =
| large house built square.
The building should not be so wide
| that the sun cannot reach the back Of
| the house. otherwise it will bc damp
/ Fourteen feet is n convenient width If
| there are no allcywnys.
| The house should he built rs low as
| possible without danger Of the at
| tendnnts humping their heads against
the ceiling A low house Is more eas
| ~ warmed than high one.
| When permanent houses are to be
built it is usually most economical to
erect them on foundations male Of
brick stone or concrete These should
be built deep enough te prevent heav
ing by frost and high enough to pre-
vent surface water from entering.
Where large stones or bricks are no:
readily available good walls may be
made from small stones In case none
Of these foundation materials is avaiia
BILE the building may be erected on
posts.
| There are three gonerai styles of
roofs-thc single pitch. the gable root
| koh Ha-ifh ctI1 MI
the combination with one long and one
short pitch.
The single pitch roof Is the easiest to
build. It gives the highest vertical
front exposed to the suns rays and
throws all the rain water to the rear
But in order to have the back wall OF
sufficient height to allow a person to
work conveniently in the renr portion
of the house 1t Is necessary to have the
front wall very high-unless very
slight pitch Is used-which requires
much more lumber for the front side
than in the case Of the other two styles
The gable roof provides for garrel
space, which may be filled with straw
thus helping to make the house warn
and dry.
The floor may be of earth. wood Of
cement. Earth floors nre excellent pro
vided they are kept dry. Except I,
very dry climates. however. they arr
apt to be damp. Bonrd floors are usual
" short lived unless air Is allowed II
circulate under them. 4 good cemen
floor is the best. for 1t Is easily clean
ed and very durable 1t should be COZ
cred with one-fourth or one-hnlf incl
of fine soil or sand and plenty of litter
In constructing this floor the ground