Milford chronicle., 1916-03-03

< course, the larger breeders throughoI
I the country who have made quite
4 study along this hne will probably M
be vitaly interested in this article, bU
the average breeders, or those who Onl
=! carry a limited line of chickens, ma
! find much to interest them, and at tn
same time, get hold of facts whic
might be of value to them.
Poultry house construction is one es
sential of the industry which should re
ceive the undivided attention of ever
person who hopes to make success
. and unless the quarters are properl
built, great loss might be the result.
The improper construction of house
is the cause for much sickness amOnl
the members of the flock, and incident
ly, many deaths are the result of dis
eases contracted by the birds as a re
suit of poorly built coops. In the con
strucLion of a poultry house there are
or should be, several important natter
to consider-namely, to avoid draughtl
while at the same time supply ing plenty
of fresh air, convenience and comfort Of
the hens, convenience of the attendant
and the avoidance of dampness.
Poultry is often neglected, and theI
blamed because they do not produce as
the breeder believes they should. This
neglect will not be found among those
v no are large or extensive breeders and
who make their living from the birds,
but generally among those who keep d
limited number of fowls, or those on
farms. This neglect can generally be
! traced to the fact that the houses are
built in such manner as not to be Con-
venient, and this inconvenience results in
in the attendant failing to 60 to the
trouble to do those things which should
/ be done Thus the fowls are made to
suffer and the breeder fails to derive
the benefits which he has a right 10 eX-
pect.
Proper housing is the one thing above
all others which makes the work of at
tending to the chickens easy, and this
should be given much consideration
when building. There are, of course,
many styles OF poultry houses which are
conveniently built, but | will not at
tempt to give all of them to you.
The very first consideration in build
ing should be the site, and for this you
should pick level or nearly level spot.
If the latter, the drain should be away
from, rather than toward, the building
or the scratch shed, and the house
should face toward the South or South
east. This gives the fowls the benefit
of the suns rays during the winter
months and permits the sunlight to pen
citrate the coop. This is essential to
dry. healthy quarters.
A house Dullt after the following sug- 1
gestiOns will be found to be a good one |
Tor the average breeder and may be en- |
iarged upon or diminished according to /
the size of your tiOcks. While these
measurements may be used, yet 1t is
the particular layout of the building
that | wish to impre SIS upon you as be-
ing well adapted to the comfort of the
birds and also your convenience.
The particular house in question
should be built 33 feet long, IA feet
wide, feet in front and z teet IN the
rear. Convert your floor space into
three parts. Divide the full length of
33 feet into three compartments, the
first of which should be IL feet long.
At this point place a partition across
the building, carrying the same to the
roof. This gives you room II by IA
feet which should be used for a scratch
shed. Close in three sides of the house,
and across the southern exposure place ,
line mesh wire. Now take 16 feet from
the length Of the house, and again put
up a partition, making a second com
Dartment 10 by IA feet, which should be
lsed for roosting and laying house.
By the construction of this compart-
nent you will find that there are still
i've feet of the entire house left, max
ng room by Ia feet, which will
ierve you as setting room if the nat Z
lral method or incubation is followed.
Zach of these three compartment, E
hould open into as many separate run l
Ways. Or you might only use two run 4.
Ways, one tor the setting room and one
'ther connected. with the laying house Z
md scratch shed. There should, of !
curse, be an opening from the rOosting
nd laying house into the scratch shed, s
ut none from this compartment into y
he sitting room, as this is maintained z
ntirely for purposes of incubation.
Returning to the laying quarters this
is Is by IL feet and will
ccommodate between so and 60 birds.
y allowing four square feet of floor
pace for every bird, this will take care b
So fowls. but go may be accommoda- 81
ID very nicely. "
Place the nests along the end of the o.
Duse next to the setting room and on N
lelves placed at a convenient height. Il
ests arranged in this fashion can be d.
-ilized for the use of laying and also n
II the use of the setting hens. When 81
bird becomes broody she is placed in
e setting room compartment, and a
,st pulled out and turned around, thus +.
lening to this special compartment, y,
d at the same time, not allowing the ~ ~
wing hens to interfere with her. One ~
more of these rows of nests may be ~ =.
stalled, according to the number of a.
MS maintained. If the nests are sin a
2 TERED, two shelves will be required -
order to close the tops Of the nests. 90 90
ie-half of these shelves should pro 81
lde into either compartment. The
1t boxes should be made to fit nes tlv
tween the shelves thus resembling sul
vs. of drawers. te'
The next point to consider in the ar n,
lgement Of this house is the rocsts.
ese should be made ten feet long. and
ced in the house lenghtwise. As the Z
ing and roosting compartment = six- fro