Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1918-02-14
GOOD HOUSE FOR
BACKYARD FLOCK
Comfort, Not Luxury, Is lmpOr.
lans for Flock's Need.
OLD SHED is SATISFACTORY
MAIDS Warn and Airy, and With Hen
cpnysnIsnesa. IL Al That IL Nee
seaaFy--olvise Yard for Grow.
Ing Green Feed


a honpe for the backyard Iiock need
not b. expensive. Il should be com
fortehte. Often there Is an unused shed
or husidlng on the place which can
easily b. converted into a chicken
kcaze The asens ~ the poultry house
should face toward the south. II pussi.
lie. - That tho sun win shine into Il.
A ho0lse which provides a floor space
IL llsfee ~ four square feet for each
hsfa a ample In size and fowls are
ofirn eneresafDlly Kept with an allow.
ancu Ms greater than two and one-hHlf
10 fAFee square feet Houses must be
gary nlA8 frem from draft bat must Al.
foM enssls VerY satisfactory
tfa u ia @HN x. alA&nsy ffnan n.
nno M N' A lNiNs sss,
Whea fnma ID boAf5 fane4 Il ~
sametimeA Fae&sbls N take advantA&s
~ this by bnllding the poultry house
ID the corner Of The fence. making the
fence itself. with the cracks covered
by strips o. taltened. serve ~ the back
end enc eide o. The house.
A cheap house s feet square can be
made Of 2 by 4.iueh plecra and II
inch boards and covered with roofing
paper. Such house would be large
enough for 4 flock Of 20 20 ~ hens.
II can be built quickly and Il cheap IN
construction. Plans for building Il,
whieh can be easily followed. with =
description Of al the material needed.
are given IN a new publication " the
United States Department u AgFicui-
tire. Farmers Bulletin $50.
II the back yard IL well drnined. the
ground itself should be dry enough 70
serve a. the aoor o. tho house. Often
Aslaht slampnams can be corrected BY
ming no sl1e floor several inches above
the outside ground with sand. eindera,
gravel Or dry dirt Three or four
inches Of the surface Of the door. and
Of the run. II very small run II used,
should be removed and replaced with
fresh dirt two or three times year
II the ground Is 20 wet or damp that
the condition cannot be corrected By
filing. II IL best TO provide board
fioor. as this viii keep the house dry
VIII allow easier cleaning. and viii pro
mote the general health and welfare
Of the hens. A house with board
floor should be set on posts or blocks
| 8 to u inches above the ground. Bull
IA this way the floor win not rot o
| quickly and rats are not 50 likely q
take refuge under H.
To keep the flock IN clean and san
isary condition dropping boards should
be provided and rooats above them
| This makes Il easy 20 remove the drop
pings each morning, and helps greatly
| 10 keep the house free from objection
able odora. A little sand sprlnkIed on
the dropping boards after each clean
ing win make the cleaning cnsier. The
| dropping boards and roosts should b
| placed against the back wall. Hers
| they are out Of the way and at the
| same time where they are less likely
10 be reached by drafts. The drop
ping boards should be about 20 70 y
inches from the aoor, depending on ths
height Of the building, This gives
| space enough under them 70 that ms
heas have room 10 exercise and u Il
not too high for the heavier hens Z
~ 20. The roosts shonld be three o.
four inches above the dropping boards
A piece OF 2 By or 2 by laid Of
edge, and with the upper corner
rounded on. makes good roost.
Nests must be provided and may b.
very simple Any box about one foo
square and five or six inches deep \
suitable. An ordinary orange box witt
partition In the Middle serves thi
| purpose very well, each box forming
| two nests. with the top removed Ia
boz IL laid on its side and a strip tire
or four inches wide nailed across ID
lower front. Nests cnn be fastened =
the wallis OF the house or set on IN
floor. II Us preferable 70 fnsten then