Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-12-30
.PRODUCT|vENESs AND
HEALTH DURING WINTER
Other Very Important Details
uS to- Housing.
FACTS FOR GOOD pouLTRY,lEN
Ventilation Required to Prevent Too
Much M0isturc-;aSy to Arrange
It-fIittcr and Dust Baths Arc
Very Important.

The frs, consideration IN housing
h"ns should be the an;@""; 81 floor
local conditions land the size Of the
lock. ~ liberal allowance of floor
space Is necessary TO Keep the fowls
III health ana to obtain maximum egg
WELD. Unnecessary noor space viii
Sain nothing. and may. as many poul-
trymen believe. lower production.
II is a fact that the closer hen Is
confined the larger will he her egg
production. other conditions being
equal. However. there is a limit he
yond which confinement cannot he car
red without destroying the health of
Tho fowls.
When large ilocks of layers are KEEP,
birds. from three To three and one -half
sauarc feet or floor space. per hen is
the smallest area possible.
Floor Arcn NruuIrcd.
/: must be remembered that in Il
iock or this size each hen has the en-
tire house TO travel over. for all her
individual allotment is only three
square feet OF space. consequently. she
really has more room FOR exercise than
the hen in :. smaller lock with double
thc allowance Of floor space per bird.
Flocks containing from 100 10 300
hens require from four To i've squar"
feet OF door space per hen Tor best
results. while Hooks OF fifteen or TWEEN
~ should have six OF seven square
sect per bird
~ the amount Of space mentioned
without access to "A yard. II IS having
large hoor spae" over which N"
birds can roam which makes cOuinc-
men; possible.
rhc smallest amount Of iioor space
tha; a single hen could he confined TO
Tor any length Of time is about c!sh-
teen square feet. but IN this same area
three birds could hc kept with equal
success.
he flock that is closely confined. at
least during the winter. 10 secure large
egg production For building pens II
tx far better 10 give each hen from
six TO eight square feet Of n0or space
besides large yards aud 20 keep them
.n small units.
allowed TO the hundred square feet of
floor space. tho more quickly the house
VIII become dirty; and the closer the
confinement and the larger tn" flock
IN. greater the sanitary precautions
necessary.
cloth Curtains for ventilation
Ventilation OF the quarters ~ the
next Important conside ration. TO n
.sreu, extent s. is dependent upon the
amount Of iloor space allowed.
one OF the first indications OF inn
roper ventilation is the appearance OF
moisture Oh the ceiling 81 the poultry
house. 1t means overcrowding or n
ger signal. and IL should he needed al
cice. III "a short time the litter will
become damp and wet from the con
dcnscd moisture dripping OF the cell
ing. This darnpucss is almost sure 70
lE"ri disease. especially chicken po%.
True, II is hard matter TO keEp
: of the long spells of rainy weather
y @fi, uucnt IN the late fall and winter
hpt il can be done.
Moisture first starts when Tho house
T., C.oseu 100 tightly at night, causing
the most heat rising from In" fowls 10
"ondensc upcn tn" ceiling. II the days
ae sunny tn's moisture soon evapo-
RATES. In rainy or cloudy weather the
% moisture accumulates unless there is an
'aieHu..te circulation OF fresh air.
,d En- pom''ry H@uss should .r hays
are Termed curtain frames: they are
made from muslin OF burlap. III q
h"nSe sixteen by twenty feet, average
], lsht siN feet housing from eighty .
90 birds We lind it necessary have
NO opcnings protected by curtains.
= zach four by Three feet. Not rprc
night. except IN the most severe
Weather otherwise moisture gathers
ir Il house ten by twelve feet. con-
~ aiming twenty-five fowls. one cloth
screen Of tn" size mentioned is sui!i
"icni although IL may be found nee
'aSary To leave This screen open te,v
.Ichcs ~ Night.
Frequently curtains are used in front
20, The roost!nE compartments in ada.
"!tiun to the regular wal! curtains
Ncntilntnrs Under Control
Windows should be constructed &,
'ha; they can he used for vcntilaiiuG
wh n driving storms, required closed
. WI R'tlI'S. ~ the WINDOWS be left
cpea all The time, without danger of
crafts. all the better
mother method OF Ventilation. is to
GU holr on" foot square in the back
wall Of the poultry house over IN.
r"osts ana as near the roof as possible
r Fioa this hole construct u tight ,.flUtc
h ~ r"H"N IN" air over the heads of tn.
to''iS ami dlfusc it over the ceiling
y hinged door. controlled by rod
r,sf"d down the chute, should he
crd over the opening For a ten by
~. Nc-ioot pen one such Nontilator i.
lint These ventilator chutes are
""1i help In cooling OFT the house
vet SIMMER weather.
neMt sten in Keeping the flock
-" pink ~ condition is nbsnlu,c
i~""s and the frequent rsc Of
dtr'~ f"ctan; q
fcr e. tho noor should hc sup
~ ''i@i thar will not break nm AID
rH".'er tho quickly As soon as il
g, So" - be good scratching material.
ri 'S'erabl". because II is ono ~ a."
W"""' hrcdinc places for disease pnrms
'iiter should he Of n harmless sub
~. eaten by the .hcns
disinfecti"= tho poultry nuortors
syon pan . SPRAY the entire
:" each tire it is cleaned Any good
with water is effective.
hhHt Forget tue Dust I,nth
~" nonitrymnn should give the hens
knan.
- clean and healthy. That mcnne :,
pain " has been understood TINT
49,, nredel something exceedingly
,, ,nr ldca heinc that the dust
MD Snfocatc tho lice which is tr;,c
y" "ustv material is not the kind
g. nan III" hens desire If left to
4 60 SO hct"c"n dry dust and moist
90" tt'" fowls will select the latter
rr"'er u spot whore tho earth is
,''St' though powdered IS fine as dust
THIS moist. powdercd Garth removes ~
-sc",T and dirt fro mthc skin and I'm sec
go mo feathers. acting somewhat like
! camp sawdust sprinklcd over floor
al The base OF tho feathers is tho home
y ~ nee ana its removal will ,io away
WIZ the pests. The best wav TO slpp!.
s.''h n hath is TO provide n covered por-
ION or the earth near the poultry house
!. f." the hens to use.
Paint All Your buildings
.r ~ has always been profitable To
spend money in painting farm build.