Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-07-24
Protect Birds
Against Heat

during July and August each sum-
mer. there are often many periods of
, but day or two duration, when the
heat becomes excessively great. and
when the humidity of moisture in the
atmosphere is Extremely high. Under
these conditions. living conditions.
( even for us humans, becomes rather
severe. We have to exercise our in
genuity in overcoming the disagree
( able conditions which present them
selves. We have to go TO extreme
measures in keeping comfortable and
protecting ourselves against these ex-
IRENE and abnormal weather condi-
tons. In the case of our domestic
animals, especially poultry, it is
much harder for them to adjust
themselves to these extremes Of heat,
because of the fact that they are so
largely subjected to the environments
al conditions which are created by
the poultry keeper himself. So then
the problem of aiding the birds to
keep comfortable during these periods
Of excessive heat is one which the
poultry keeper must study and solve,
for the sake of the health and COM
fort of his flock.
Probably the most common cause
of birds suffering from extreme heat
humidity in the middle summer is
failure to properly ventiiate the poul-
try house. An opening on the south
or front side is not enough. The back
must be opened up so that the air
can move freely through the house
This is done by having windows at
the back of the house below the
dropping board. which will not only
admit light during the winter, but
can be taken out in the summer. and
allow plenty of fresh air. It is also
provided for by having a hinged
board or ventilator at the back of
the house just below the rafters, let
ting air circulate around between the
studding and boarding back Of the
dropping boards and over the perches.
The whole house should be opened
up just as much as possible, and
every reasonable precaution taken to
insure the free circulation of air
through the house.
Persons who operate trapnests dur
ing the summer months. should dur
ing extreme periods of warm weather.
cake special precaution to see that
the birds are not kept in them any
longer than necessary, and to see that
the nests themselves are built as open
and as well ventilated as possible
The nests should be visited very fire.
quently during warm days. and if
bird has been confined to the nest for
sometime, and has not layed, she
should be released and placed on the
floor so she can have an opportunity
to get a drink and get cooled off be-
fore returning to the nest. This is
probably the most common cause or
losses.
Lack of shade adjacent to the poui-
try house is another common cause
of heat losses during the summer.
Birds like to be out of doors. 1t is
much cooler out Of doors in the shade
of a growing crop or shrub than it is
in any building. For that reason II
adequate shade in the nature of grow
ing vegetation is provided in the poul-
try yard, there will rarely ever be
any cause and uneasiness of loss If
some place is provided so that the
birds can get away out of the direct
rays Of the sun and lie in the cool
atmosphere, they will not suffer from
even extreme temperature conditions.
The writer has often traced losses
from heat prostration to failure on
the part of the poultryman to keep
the water vessels filled with fresh.
cool water during the middle of the
day during extreme hot periods Wa