Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-01-23
Poultry Housing Conditions.
(Wm. @. Monahan, Extension instructor
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Desirable conditions in . poultry
house are those which secure comfort
for the hens and convenience for the at
tendant. Comfort for the birds IL not
necessarily secured by warmth; more i'm.
portsnt considerations are dryness, sun.
shine and ventilation. Hens will do bet.
ter In cold house properly opened on
the southern exposure to admit the light
and air than they will In any hot house
yet devised. Not only is the egg pro.
dnction greater under such conditions
but the stock has more strength and
vIgor and the eggs which they lay have
stronger, more hatchable germs.
HOW IDEAL CONDITIONS ARE SECURED
Dryness In the hen house is secured
by an abundance of ventilation. Light
and sunshine may be admitted through
the same opening that admits the air
provided II is properly located. This
opening had best be located on the
southern side OF the house and 1t should
be large enough to admit al the air
pecesssry and thus avoid the possibility
OF draueht which IL apt to result when
there 10 more than one opening into a
pen. IA q rule It requires about one
square foot Of opening to each ten
square feet OF floor space In order to in-
sure sufficient ventilation.
The admission of additional light
through glass windows is desirable.
Windows may be located at either end OF
the open front and down nearer the floor
than II would be wise to have an Open
ing. The brightness and general santa.
tion of house, especially an old one,
may be greatly improved BY the applica-
tion Of coat OF whitewash.
DEEP DRY LITTER
Exercise 10 necessary for health and
production. During the fall and winter
laying pulIets should be confined to the
house to avoid exposure and cold, wet
feet; therefore II Is necessary to take
special means for providing exercise.
This is done by scattering the scratch
grain In deep, dry litter so that the birds
will keep busy digging for 1t several
hours day.
Various materials make suitable litter.
Straw is one most commonly used, plan.
or shaviugs are alao excellent but per.
haps the best OF litter is secured by a
mixture OF these two materials.
THE DUST BOX
For years 1t has been practice with
great many poultry keepers to waste
valuable space In their ben houses with
dust boxes or baths. Besides waste OF
room these boxes are often an incoDven.
fence and the fine floating road.dust,
loam, or ashes from tbe boxes are more
system OF both birds and attendant.
The only virtue claimed for the dust
bath is that the hens scratching In 1t
work the dust into their feathers and
thus destroy lice. Undoubtedly dust
will kill some lice but that the majority
OF dust. t.baths are not very effective is
evidenced by the fact that very lousy
hens are usually found In focks provid-
ed with such bath unless some other
means has been taken for eradicating
the lice.
A single application Of "blue-butter"
is certainly effective In removing lice
from fowls. It makes the dust-bath and
Its attendant inconvenierces superfiu-
uuH DutoeuCO III y uOu houoO ooN WV
which had best be thrown out.
FIXTURES
In arranging the several appliances
which are necessary for the proper equip.
ment OF q poultry honse the following
features should be copsidered:
Simplicity. Interior fixtures such as
nests, hoppera, roosts and dropping
board should be simple In design and
construction 40 that they can be kept In
sanitary condition without increased
labor.
Cleanliness. Roosts should be de.
tachabie or on hinges and all other
equipment possible, especially the nests,
should be made movable 80 that 1t may
be taken out for disinfectiou and not be.
come a harboring place for lice and
mites.
Location. All fixtures should be ele.
vated, either hanging from the walls or
resting on platforms. This practice pre-
vents litter and fllth from getting Into
water pail and hoppers. 1t also greatly
increases the capacity of the house and
adds to its attraotiveness and conven-
ience.