Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-11-08
GOOD VENTILATION PRIME
FACTOR IN POULTRY HOUSE
Fresh Air and Plenty of Oxygen Essential for Heahfu
Observation-Disclosures Explained-Wet Versus
Dry Mash
BY the Poultry Editor

TUE question OF ventilation in the poultry
4 house is as important as that Of warmth.
Even though the fowls are confined IN a
sung. warm house. they will not prosper
unless there Is proper ventilation
There must be a constant supply Of oxy-
gen TO insure health. and this is only TO be
anorded by regular current OF fresh air
Pure air must be provided for tho fowls at
all times. and this circulation Is possible
only when the impure air Is carried out OF
the house. Although a large number OF
pooltrymen use special ventilators OF va
rious patented types. these are not alto
sether necessary and are really a needless
expense to the amateur. Sometimes they
90 not accomplish the purpose for which
they are installed.
II Is the impure air. after all. that the
chicken raiser wishes 20 be rid OF. II ,sa
weil,khown scientific fact that this air.
which is laden with spent elements. such
as carbonic acid gas is welghtier than the
pure air, Consequently IL is 20 be found
nearer the floor. while the purer and warm
er air Is to be found near the ceiling This
being SO, the presence of a ventiiator or
series OF them near the top Of the house.
where they are usually placed does NOT
tulnll their design OF carrying off the wifi
ated air. but instead rob the house OF tho
oxygen-laden air that Is necessary 70 the
weu-oeing OF the fowl. The impure air Is
ieft IN the lower section OF the house and
must be breathed a great deal by the birds
10 get rid OF this poisoned air II is needful
TO have means of ventilation SO con-
structed that the opening will be near the
noor This can easily be accomplished by
making shaft or tube about six inches
square (for the ordinary poultry house)
with an opening at the bottom next the
floor. To be effective, this shaft or tube
must extend above the highest point of the
roof OF the house. To make shaft six
inches square use two six-inch boards for
opposite sides and two four-inch boards
Tor the other sides. Cut the four-inch
boards about half foot shorter than the
six-inch boards, which will give a space
on either side four by six inches. Extend
this through the roof as directed above and
put an A-shaped cap on top to prevent the
entry or rain or snow. The ventilator is now
complete so far as the outlet is concerned
Impure air, while heavier than the pure
air inside the house. is warmer, and hence
lighter than the air outside in winter
weather Naturally II rises in the ventilat-
ing nue., encouraged by the winds moving
across top vacuum is consequently formed
IN the space near the floor, which in turn
Is hled with the warm, pure air which is
pulled down from the top of the house.
and this necessltates a constant supply
OF fresh air from outside the structure.
This explains why an intake as well as
an outlet is needed. To supply this fresh
air In building with double walls, cut
a holt In the inside boarding six by eight
lnches below the overhead ceiling and an
other OF the same size in the outside board
ing directly underneath the other hole and
about eighteen inches above the floor. II
you use single wall house, cut a hole
near the roof. as directed above and cover
with n hood.
perfect circulation will thus be OBJ
tained, plenty of invigorating oxygen will
be afforded. and at the same time the foul
will not he exposed to direct draughts
which are fatality to he guarded against
The house should be thrown open a little
while every day. no matter how cold, for
a thorough airing when the birds are taking
their exercise In the run.
w. Theodore Whitman. poultryman with
the Pennsylvania Department OF Agricul-
ture. In an interview the other day stated
as his emphatic opinion that II the very last
possible egg yield was TO be had cut of the
pullets this fall and winter. then the thing
to feed was wet mash.
He admits that dry mashes are I'm style at
the present, but he does not admit that the
dry mash was ever equal TO n wet mash as