Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-01-16
Simplicity of Construction
and Accessibility Two of
the Principal Factors De-
manded
Comfort and Convenience of
Flock Using Devices Should
Be Given First ConsiderG-
ton
BY Prof. Harry II. Lewis
Head of the Department of Poultry
Husbandry at the n. J. State Ag-
ricultural Experiment Station

Poultry appliances that save labor
are always in demand-but the ques-
ton of expense must be considered.
Many of these devices can be bought
more cheaply than you could make
them at home-but work bench and
a few tools will save many a dollar
and occupy you on dull days.
The home worker. however, must
consider the necessity of hi9 flock
and not only himself in saving labor.
The flock is to use the apparatus, and
il should be made as comfortable and
accessible for such use as possible.
In the selecting and planning OF
the appliances and equipment of the
poultry house three special factors
should be borne in mind. The first
and foremost is simplicity. That is,
all the internal fixtures should be of
simple design and construction, there
by making it more sanitary and re-
ducing the cost of construction, as
we'll as the labor in caring for the
birds. The second factor should be
that of cleanliness. The appliances
should all be portable, so that they
can be easily and quickly removed
from their resting place and taken out
of doors and thoroughly cleaned.
They should be made of smooth.
hard timber or metal, and should be
free from cracks and crevices, which
harbor parasites or disease-carrying
organisms. They should be so made
that when they are thoroughly disin-
fected the solution can reach all parts.
Cleanliness is of extreme importance
in the laying house. The last factor is
that of the location of the many ap-
pliances and portions of equipment.
The successful poultry raiser is he
who remembers that the house is de-
signed for the birds and the capacity
of the house in large measure is de-
termined by the number of square
feet floor space. Hence all of the
fixtures should be elevated above the
ground at least a foot and one-half,
thus giving all the floor space to the
birds, and thereby increasing the ca
pacity of the house.
Poultry House Essentials
In the following paragraphs | shall
briefly outline some of the essential
features of the poultry house equip
ment which go to provide these three
standard requirements, and hence
save labor.
In the construction of the perches
1t is an excellent plan to have them
made in sections, each section hinged
to the back wall of the house at such
height that they are about eight
inches above the dropping boards.
! Inc front percn Is PROVIDED Will d
hook, so arranged that the perches
can be lifted up in front and hooked
to the roof of the house. This raises
them above the dropping boards and
facilitates the removal of the drop
pings If loose pin hinges are used
! the pin can be removed and the en-
! tire section of the perches taken out
of doors for cleaning.
In tho construction of the dropping
; boards the plan should be to run the
boards perpendicular rather than
! ilengthwise. This is the way the at
tendant will work in cleaning them
and the removal is made much easier,
] as there is no obstruction TO catch
the hoe.
The nests, which are usually located
directly under the dropping boards,
should be made as simple and port
able as possible. The best homemade
nest consists of two parts, a movable
platform which forms the floor of the
nest and which slides into place like a
drawer. On this platform set the nest
boxes, which simply consist of 1X4
white pine boards, built to form a
square IA inches on a side. Such an
arrangement can be quickly taken "a
pieces and cleaned.
Every pen in the poultry house
should be provided with an elevated
small wire coop about two by -four
feet square. with a Slated bottom
Such coops are commonly called
broody pens. They are used for shut.
ting up broody hens, for confininl