The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1914-09-10
HOW TO CONSTRUCT
A POULTRY HOUSE.

in the North, according to investi-
gators of the Department of Agricul-
ture. However, house which gives
satisfaction in Maine will also give
good results in Texas or California.
The best site for a poultry house
In any location is one where good
water and air drainage are available
The floor and yards will then be
dry. The house should not occupy
a. low hollow in which cold air Set
ties. Wherever possible a southern
or southern exposure should be Sc
lected. although this is not essential
Ii. there is any good reason for fac
Ing the house in a different direc-
tiOn. Poultry House Construction"
Is the title of the departments new
: farmers Bulletin, No. 574, in which
are explained the main features that
should be considered, and in which
pictures and plans of satisfactory
houses are shown. Every poultry
man who cOntemplates erecting new
poultry buildings should write to
the department for this bulletin,
which will be sent him free on ap-
plication, as long as the depart
ment's supply lasts.
There are two popular ways in
which to raise poultry, the 'inten-
sive system" and the colony sys-
tem." Tht first of these aims TO
save steps and accomplishes this
purpose. Long stationary houses arc
used. 1t is easier, however, 10
keep the birds healthy and to re-
produce the stock under the second
system.
Under the colony system The
birds are allowed free range, the
houses. which hold about 100 hers
each, being placed from 200 to $50
feet apart, so that the stock will
not kill the grass. This system
may be adapted to serve winter con-
ditions by drawing the colony houses
together in a convenient place at
the beginning of winter, thus re-
dHcing the labor during the cold
months. The first system is more
suited for hens used solely for the
production OF market eggs than for
those used to breed stock.
Fences mean an outlay of money,
and this outlay is more or less con-
tinuOus. as they must be. maintain
ed after being Installed. There
should be as few fences as possible
dividing the lots and the yards. as
land can be kept sweet more
easily If not fenced, and fresh. sweet
land is a valuable asset in poultry
raising.
On good soil. greensward may
be kept up by allowing 200 to ESQ
square feet of land per bird. More
space is necessary on poor or light
land. A larger number of fowls are
usually kept to the acre where
double yards are used and the land
is frequently cultivated. Plymouth
Rocks and the other heavy meat
breeds In small yards require fences
five to six feet high, while n fence
six to seven feet high is necessary
for LeghOrns. The upper two feet
of the fence for the latter may be
Inclined inward at an angle Of 80
degrees. or a strand of barbed wire
may be used on top of the regular
wire. to keep them confined. 1t is
also sometimes necessary to clip the
wing feathers of one wing of these
birds that persist in getting out. A
board or strip along the top of the
fence is not advisable. Hens will
often fly over such an arrangement.
Posts may be set or driven into
the ground. They should be set
eight to 10 feet apart, with common
poultry Meeting, or 16 to 20 feet,
with woven wire. Corner posts
should be about eight inches in di-
ameter and be set four feet in the
ground, while Intervening posts may
be four to five inches in diameter
and set three feet in the ground.
That part of the post which is set
in the ground may be charred or
treated with some wood preserva-
tive to advantage, while corner posts
should be firmly braced or set in
cement.
All buildings and appliances on a
poultry farm will be improved great
ly. both In appearance and in ser
vice ability by the addition of paint.
One may buy ready-miXed paints. or
may purchase paste pigments and oil
and mix them. All surfaces should
be clean and dry before they are
painted. Use a printing coat made
of equal parts of paint and linseed
oil and cover with one or more coats
ly rubbed into the surface.
Whitewash is the cheapest of all
paints, and may be used sither for
exterior or interior surfaces. 1t can
be made by slaking about 10 pounds
of quicklime in a pail with two gal
Ions of water. covering the pail with
clothe or burlap mad allowing it to
slake for one hour. Water Is then
added to bring the whitewash to a
consistency which may be applied
readily.
A weatherproof whitewasb for
exterior surfaces may be made as
follows: Cd Slake one bushel OF
quicklime in II gallons of hot wa
ter: CD dissolve two pounds of
common salt and one pound of sui
phate of zinc In two gallons of boil
ing water; pour CD into ID. then
add two gallons of skim milk and
mix thoroughly Whitewash IS
spread lightly over the surface with
a broad brush.
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