The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1923-03-23
Gr0wingW What You Eat
Prepared by the Extension Service, State College
of Washington

the high prevailing winds are from
the southwest, when it should face
east. ii should be so located that
the chickens will have access to open
yards or free range. If young stock
is to be raised in part of the house,
there should be special yards for
their use. 1t is not wise to raise
large flocks Of chickens two years in
succession on the same ground.
The size and shape of the house
will depend on the size Of the flock
that it is to house. A flock of less
than 80 will need 5 square feet per
bird. A flock of 100 or less will need
4 square feet. A flock of 500 or ver
can get along with 8 square feet per
bird. A house 2Ox20 would be just
right for 100 hens.
An ideal arrangement for a farm
flock of 100 pullets and 20 breeders.
would be a laying house 20x20, with
a comparatively small yard, for the
pullet flock, and a separate house
1920 for the breeders and for the
growing young stock. Make a pen
SKIS for the breeders, and 8 the re-
mainder 14x16, for growing young
stock. This part can be used for
storage when not growing chicks.
1t should be remembered that it is
49, ~ - x1o%1 Al onfira f1naK
in order 20 keep it up to its capacity.
One good Leghorn cockerel and 20
selected hens, or one good Barred
Rock cockerel and Is selected hens
will keep the flock up to its maxi
mum. You can afford one good cock
erel, and he is worth a housefull Of
poor ones. Besides, it requires less
room for your breeders.
The kind of house you build will
depend on the location and the ex-
tremes of heat and cold. 1t is a mis-
take in any climate to build a house
too close or with too much glass in
it Glass conducts both heat and
cold, and it does not admit fresh air.
An open front house. that is a house
with one square foot of opening to
every 20 square feet of floor space,
is always desirable. 1t can be used,
with a roller or lift curtain, in almost
any climate. Thus, a house 20x20
should have an opening at least Q feet
wide by 10 feet long.
If it is in a cool climate, the rest
of the building should be built warm
and close. 1t may ever be necessary
to double wall the back and one or
both ends. In climates having excess
sive heat and cold a ceiling Of boards
or straw is desirable. There should
always be a ventilator, a place for the
foul air to escape. If an open front
is used to admit fresh air, all that is
is an opening of some sort
at the high point of the roof. Use
Just enough windows to give good
light on the floor. Some people are
using glass cloth, which admits light,
but does not readily conduct heat and
cold. This "cloth" closts about 35
cents a yard In small lots.
In houses not over 90 feet wide
the gable roof is ideal. It does not
80 much wind as the shed roof,
and a long cave on one side protects
the open front. The door should be
the end Of the building, and should
be at least 8 feet wide. In very long
it is wise to have a door in
each end.
The floor may be dirt, wood or
concrete. The dirt floor is hard to
Keep clean, and the board floor some
lines makes a breeding place for rats.
Almost any building can be made rat
by sinking a foundation IS
inches below the surface Of the ground
md letting the concrete flange out
It the bottom of the forms. This is
lone by keeping the outside of the
orm an inch or two above the bottom !
# the ditch. If a concrete floor is
lsed it should have a Pinch base of e
coarse concrete and a IL inch coat
# a 1 to / IL mixture smoothly 7
roweled. y
In any house, or any construction, +
he air must be kept pure, the tenn t
,erature never ~excessibly hot or cold. y
nd everything in and out of the build Il
ng clean and sanitary. The litter S
hould be from 4 to 6 inches deep and
hould be kept dry and fluffy. If it
S dry and clean, but getting too g
hort, add fresh straw. q
lThe next article will be planting t