The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1917-05-04
06eDACKYARD
TARNTR3
= PROF, JNHLARD BOIL
rhE CITY HEN HOUSE.
iCopyrieht Western Ne"'pape'

The hen house for the city or'suo'
urban flock OF hens must recel'o
more attention than the one usen on
tho farm for several reasons. In the
FIRST place. the hens are much more
closely confined and the sanitary fea
,ures must be very carefully consld-
ared There are usually more hens 70
q given area in the house and YARD
hence both must be kept cleaner ihsii
larger quarters need be, and II thiS
work is to be done properly the mousse
must be arranged SO that the work
~ cleaning can be done without mucn
Inconvenience. or it will not be done
Again. because Of the close pro1-
,mity Of neighbors the house must
not snly be clean and odoriess, Dut
If must possess some degree OF ar
tistlc fitness. il il is not 10 De an eye
sore 10 the pssserby II should mar
mouize with the surrounding Dulla
tngs or the house TO which IT belongs
boih in style Of architecture and color
II possible the front Of the hen
house should face the south, 30 that
II will gel the full benefit OF the sun
ravs during the long winter monlhs
Plenty of sunshine upon the floor viii
DO more to keep the flock neaithy
while they are confined indoors, than
sny other one thing. The top OF the
south windows should be as far from
the ground IS the house is vide, 80
that the sunlight will reach to the
back wall. and the bottom OF the
south windows should be about three
feet from the ground. or high enough
so that the chickens cannot look We
do not object 10 their looking out, as
, the tine they waste in so doing does
not interfere with their output, but
this wall protects them from direct
wind and cold storms from the south.
The walls can best be made OF two
LAYERS OF boards. with sheathing OF
building or tar paper between them,
mt an air space is not necessary The
main thing in the walls is TO have
them air tight. water proof. and free
from harboring places for rats, lice
and mites
The roof may be either single or
double pitch. but il it is TO pitch
toward the south be sure TO have an
caves trough there TO keep the front
az the building dry during the spring
months. and the warm days in win.
ter IS here the fowls will eongregate,
.ong before the sncw has gone from
the rest O. the yard Be sure that
the roof pitches enough 10 carry the
rain waite, II rapidly. 10 prevent rot
ting ot the roof, and DO not make the
mistake OF so many nesr economical
pouiiymeu Who build their hen house
so low fna, ar so.ae point they
cannot stand upright while cleaning
it Ii; NE emphasize ths, again.
Never upder any circumstances let
your roof drop SO low a. any point in
!, The building that you have 10 stoop in
4 doing any a. your Work because OF It.
Nothing is more aggrsyating than
p working ia STOPPING position in a
d bot ben house and you will ind sons
IS 81 the Vork unpleasant enough eyea
@ under the most desirable conditions.
We ordinarily figure that each ben
needs eight feet Of floor space in the
> house and at least afty feet OF yard
space This is automatically reduced
AS he size Of the flock and the gross
size O. the house and ward increased
and your hens can get along with
less even ia s. small aock. II YOU Keep
e,ep.Allg sorapuloasly clean
Never have the hen house floor Of
voet j, is waste Of good Wood 10
lie ars, place aud IL harbors rats IN
lie second Make It Of cement with
hslf ach chicken wire or metal lAih
M n 10 Keep The rats from gnawiag
through q you want solid aoor
81. al. 5 good raised dry dirt floor will
serve every purpose Pc sure tha, 1,
Is higher than The surrounding ground
% prevent ~aier from running 10. and
= t441ge The 1907 inch or tNo OF dirt
ouce yeAs for sanitary reasons
ln small house dropping.
platform IS necessary. and = sooa q,
lsS slue or galvanized pan which !,
clAmpet onto brackets sid can be re
moved EASILY toT cleaning sad wAsh
iug The nesi boxes should be aSrl
aud ,hey should ee removable .o.
cleaning aud spraying for SeFm.a
he roos,s should as ey timbeTs
and hey should ee removable
Daring he sumner here Is Msil.
! need q straw on he aoor. bat in u.
, via'er Yo1 should keep 81 eoveret
~th inches q eieAa. ary oAs q
NAeSt straw No not use hAy. as i
gets vet And osaSes colds