The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-27
Barrel May Be Used as Stor- ageTank toPrOvide Ample Supply at All Times; Small Engine Saves Labor of Pumping
Galvanized Rain Gutter Makes Ideal Drinking Trough, Which Is Kept clean Without Difficulty
By IT. ARMSTRONG ROBERTS
 Practical poultryman
Copyright. 1915)

The providing of fresh water for poultry the results of such neglect are quickly evident in decreasing egg yields and often In disease among the fioclSs In this arti- cle MT Roberts shows how the poultry man Install an automatic system that will insure a constant and sanitary supply of water.
 A chicken had rather drink from cows hoof-print than from fountain of pure water yet that Is no reason why it should be allowed to do so any more than
 1t should be permitted to eat tainted animal food. which any fowl will devour with great relish. Clean water. in large quantities. easy of access is one of the chief essentials to success with poultry. and the providing of it is one of the most laborious tasks in commercial plant un- less there is some system of distributing it by mechanical power or gravity.
 The way in which a fowl drinks would seem to indicate that she consumes only a few drops of water in day. yet in reality she drinks close to half pint, especially during the heavy laying season. for the egg itself is something like 60 per cent water. Thus we find that in a house of 300 layers the actual daily water con sumption is more than S0 gallons or all most a barrel If this were to be carried by hand. five gallons at a time, six trips to and from the well or other source of supply would be necessary But this mere ly allows for actual consumption, with no surplus for cooling of sanitary purposes highly important consideration. Water Should Be Kept Clean Every time fowl drinks she Invariably washes her beak in the water. This may leave in the water only a few grains of dirt or mash feed; but in the course of day the quantity of foreign matter carried into a drinking fountain is surprising Moreover, unless the fountains are very carefully arranged, certain amount of litter will also be scratched or dusted into the water. Where fowls are strong and healthy they can throw off a fair amount of this contamination. As it is almost inn possible to insure absolutely pure water in a fountain or open vessel of any kind It is advisable to have such fountains Of large capacity, in order that the degree of pollution may be lessened and the dan gers reduced to a minimum.
 It Is far more economical to provide five times the quantity of water actually con sumed than to attempt tc keep fountains fresh and sanitary by scrubbing or wash ing them. For this reason and because it seems to be human nature to forget to give adequate attention to drinking facili- ties, great pains should be taken to make the watering system as near automatic and germ proof as possible. With little common mechanical ability and few tools this can be done at moderate ex- pense.
 If a poultry farm has access to a mu- niclpal water supply, or if there is q storage tank on the premises, the work of equipping the buildings with an ideal system Is half accomplished since it is then a simple matter to lay underground pipes, connecting each house with the main supply
 Where this convenience is not available, a small gasoline engine of about one horsepower with a pump-iaek erected over an ordinary force pump. may be installed at a cost not exceeding $50, and will prove entirely satisfactory. If this outlay is too great the force pump may be operated by hand a few minutes every day.
 Instead of an overhead storage tank barrels tperfectly charred whisky con- tainers which will serve to clarify the water) may he stationed fin the various buildings at a trifing cost and will give sufficient pressure for n uniform supply. The barrel should be stood on end with the head intact and neat hole bored