,,making ,a    ,,poultry ,,house        
,,the    ,,house  ,,garden    ,,making  
,,books      ,it is the intention of the
 publishers to make this series of      
little  volumes1 of which ,making a     
,poultry ,house is one1 a complete      
library  of authoritative and well      
illustrated handbooks dealing with the  
activities of the home-maker and amateur
 gardener4 ,text1 pictures  and diagrams
 will1 in each respective book1 aim to  
make perfectly  clear the possibility of
 having1 and the means of having1 some  
of the  more important features of a    
modern country or suburban home4 ,among 
the titles already issued or planned for
 early publication are the  following3  
,making a ,rose ,garden2 ,making a      
,lawn2 ,making a ,tennis  ,court2       
,making a ,fireplace2 ,making ,paths and
 ,driveways2 ,making  a ,rock ,garden2  
,making a ,garden with ,hotbed and      
,coldframe2 ,making  ,built-in          
,bookcases1 ,shelves and ,seats2 ,making
 a ,garden to ,bloom  ,this ,year2      

,making a ,water ,garden2 ,making a     
,garden of ,perennials2  ,making the    
,grounds ,attractive with ,shrubbery2   
,making a ,naturalized  ,bulb ,garden2  
with others to be announced later4      
,illustration3 ,it is not a difficult   
matter to care for a small flock1  but  
the old unsanitary methods of housing   
will have to be abandoned               
,,making ,a    ,,poultry ,,house        
,by ,m4 ,,roberts ,,conover             
,illustration      ,,new ,,york         
,mc,b,r,i,d,e1 ,,nast  ,,company        
#aiab            ,,copyright1 #aiab1    
,,by    ,mc,b,r,i,d,e1 ,,nast  ,,co4    
,published ,may1 #aiab                  
,,contents                              
,,page      ,,introduction              
#a      ,,specific ,,suggestions ,,for  
,,houses      #g      ,,floors ,,and    
,,foundations              #bc          
,,the ,,roof                            
#bh      ,,walls1 ,,windows ,,and       
,,ventilation      #cc      ,,the ,,door
 ,,of ,,the ,,poultry ,,house       #dj 

,,nests ,,and ,,roosts                  
#dc      ,,the ,,run                    
#ej      ,,some ,,hints ,,on ,,upkeep   
#eb            ,,the ,,illustrations    
,,unsanitary ,,housing ,,must ,,give    
,,way      ,,to ,,modern ,,methods      
,frontispiece                           
,,facing                                
,,page      ,a ,,colony ,,house         
,,recommended ,,by      ,,the ,,oregon  
,,experiment ,,station          #ab     
,,two ,,portable ,,colony ,,houses      
,,adaptable ,,for ,,the ,,home ,,flock  
#af      ,,brood ,,houses ,,for ,,the   
,,young ,,birds         #bj             
,,floors ,,of ,,earth ,,and ,,of ,,wood 
#bf      ,,the ,,single-,,pitch ,,roof  
,,in ,a ,,series      ,,of ,,connected  
,,houses                    #cj      ,a 
,,combined ,,poultry ,,house ,,and      
,,pigeon ,,loft                         
#ch      ,,alfalfa ,,under ,,netting    
,,in ,,the ,,run         #df      ,a    
,,simple ,,form ,,of ,,trap ,,nest      
#df          ,making a ,poultry ,house  

,,introduction      ,to close one's eyes
 and dream of a home in the country with
 its lawns1  its gardens1 its flowers1  
its songs of birds and drone of bees1   
proves  the sentimental in man1 but he  
is not practical who cannot call into   
fancy's realm the cackle of the hen4    
,having conceded her a legitimate place 
in the scheme of the country  home1 good
 housing is of the utmost importance1   
and it is in regard to  this that one   
easily blunders4 ,few would idealize a  
rickety hovel as a  home for the flock1 
but many of us1 while we would not put  
our highly  prized birds into an        
airtight box1 so over-house them that   
they weaken  instead of profiting by our
 care4    ,that the poultry house is yet
 in an evolutionary stage1 all must     
admit1  but no one can deny that great  
strides have been made since the once   
neglected barnyard fowl has come to be  
known as a very understandable  and     
responsive creature1 to be dealt with on
 common-sense grounds4    ,only that    

poultry house is a good shelter which in
 winter conserves  as much warmth as    
possible1 and yet permits an abundance  
of fresh  air2 that admits sunlight1 and
 yet in summer is cool4 ,such a building
  must offer no hospitality to other    
than poultry life1 and it must  be      
constructed in line with the economic   
value of its residents4 ,in  short1 the 
structure must be so contrived as to    
guard against drafts1  dampness1        
disease1 and vermin1 to insure a        
profitable result4 ,a maximum  of       
comfort with a minimum of risk insures  
healthy poultry4    ,the location of the
 poultry house has an important bearing 
upon the  style of the building4 ,it is 
better to put the building where the    
land  will slope away from1 rather than 
toward1 it4 ,a large and durable        
poultry house was recently built and    
afterwards condemned by its  owners as  
damp4 ,the land sloped slightly towards 
the building1 but  sufficiently to      
convey all surface water towards it1    

making its earth  floor always damp in  
wet weather4 ,if no other site can be   
secured1 then  it is better to mount the
 building on posts rather than on the   
ordinary  foundation4 ,if one has room  
enough to consider the kind of soil1    
sand  is best1 as it dries quickly1 and 
the runs--one can scarcely consider  the
 building without runs--can be kept much
 cleaner4    ,a windbreak of some kind  
on the cold side of the building is a   
decided  advantage--a wall1 an evergreen
 hedge1 a grove1 or other buildings1    
will protect the poultry house1 and1    
perhaps1 also a portion of the  runs1   
with benefit to the poultry4    ,in that
 the family flock may range in size from
 half a dozen to fifty  or seventy-five 
fowls1 the size of the building1 and    
even its style1  must vary to suit one's
 needs4 ,a small coop1 almost square1   
may house  your flock of eight or ten1  
but the larger flock requires a house   
longer and higher1 with more ample      
ventilation4    ,ventilation by means of

 the canvas or burlap curtain has so    
simplified  the fresh-air problem that  
less building room is needed where      
sleeping-quarters alone are considered4 
,hence the necessary house room  for    
hens depends upon the mode of           
ventilation4    ,that a large building  
with no direct ventilation is not so    
healthful  for fowls as a small house   
that admits the fresh air direct1 was   
proved in the case of a flock of fowls1 
during the last two winters4  ,the      
previous winter seventy-five fowls were 
kept in a large building  adjoining a   
barn4 ,its walls were thick1 the place  
was very high and  roomy4 ,ventilation  
was given through a loft4 ,the quarters 
were kept  clean1 and all known rules of
 health observed4 ,a glass door was     
fitted into the doorway1 thus admitting 
sunlight to a small part of  the floor4 
,not a hen was allowed to place her fair
 foot upon the cold  snowy ground4 ,the 
birds were taken sick with catarrhal    
troubles early  in the winter1 and were 

in an unpromising condition until       
spring4 ,this  last winter the birds1   
now forty in number1 were housed in a   
seven by  twelve building1 seven feet   
high1 with two windows in the front1    
each  thirty-four inches wide and       
twenty-one inches high1 placed one foot 
below the eaves1 and one foot from the  
sides4 ,fresh air came through  a canvas
 curtain in one window2 the other had a 
glass sash4 ,the birds  came through the
 winter in fine condition4 ,this        
building would have  held the original  
number1 but in that case the burlap     
curtain would  have been used in the    
other window also4    ,the cooping of   
the young chicks must be considered as a
 problem  somewhat distinct until they  
are old enough to contend with the other
  fowls for their rights4               
,water-tight roofs1 walls1 and floors   
are essential to the life and  health of
 the birds4          ,,specific         
,,suggestions ,,for ,,houses      ,while
 no one style of hen house can meet all 

the conditions for  all localities1     
almost any good model may be adapted to 
almost any  locality1 or at least       
suggest adaptable features4    ,the     
descriptions of houses that have been   
adapted as here given may  easily       
suggest other modifications4    ,a house
 eight by seventeen feet should give    
ample roosting and nesting  room for a  
flock of thirty or forty hens4 ,one used
 by the author is  seven feet wide1     
fifteen feet long1 and ten feet high    
from peak to  floor1 and is satisfactory
 during spring1 summer1 and fall4 ,in   
winter1  however1 a scratching-shed of  
equal area is desirable4 ,it need not be
  higher than three feet4 ,it should    
adjoin the hennery1 and a section of    
its roof should be movable to allow a   
change of litter4 ,the sunlight  should 
be freely admitted to this through      
glass4    ,illustration3 ,the front of a
 house that will shelter satisfactorily 
a  dozen fowls    ,a small coop that    
will house a dozen fowls1 and may be    

used where one  has little space1 or is 
just getting into poultry keeping1 is   
eight  feet long and six feet deep4 ,it 
has a double-pitched roof1 is five and  
one-half feet high from the lower edges 
of the roof to the foundation1  and     
seven from the peak to the foundation4  
,the eaves project four  inches1 but in 
front a board eight inches wide is      
hinged to the lower  edge of the eaves4 
,this is swung back and hooked against  
the side of  the building on sunny days1
 but in rainy weather it is swung       
outward1  thus extending the roof eight 
inches to prevent the rain from beating 
into the muslin-covered windows below4  
,it is held in this position by         
brackets at either end1 which are hinged
 to the building1 and may be  turned    
back against it when not in use4    ,two
 windows1 two feet high and three feet  
wide1 are placed in the  front1 six     
inches from either side1 thirty-four    
inches from the ground1  and eight      
inches below the eaves4 ,burlap-covered 

frames are fitted to  the windows1 and  
these swing inward when necessary1 and  
may be fastened  by hooks suspended from
 the roof of the building4              
,illustration3 ,the door may be at      
either end of the building and it  must 
be made draft-proof    ,the building has
 a brick foundation and a concrete floor
 six inches  higher than the surrounding
 surface of the ground1 and on a level  
with  the top of the foundation4 ,at the
 rear are nests beneath the roosts4     
,these are #ad in4 long1 #ab in4 high1  
and #aa in4 wide4 ,there are seven  on  
the bottom row placed alternately in a  
lengthwise and crosswise  manner1 and   
six above4 ,the lower nests are         
improvised from boxes bought  from a    
grocer's at five cents each1 and are set
 upon a skeleton shelf  raised #d in4   
above the floor4 ,the upper nests are   
likewise set upon a  skeleton shelf #c  
in4 above the first tier4 ,the sides of 
boxes are cut  away to #e in4 height to 
allow the hens room to enter the nests4 

,these  nests are accessible to the hens
 from the front and are reached for egg 
collection by lifting a hinged door at  
the back2 this door is #g ft4  long1 #ah
 in4 wide1 and is #ab in4 above the     
foundation in the rear4    ,the roosts  
are thirty-four inches above the floor1 
and run lengthwise  of the house4 ,two  
will accommodate the small flock of     
twelve or fifteen  fowls4 ,three inches 
below is the drop-board supported upon  
horizontal  braces4 ,it is in two       
sections1 and slides out when desired4  
,it is  twenty inches wide1 its outer   
edge being even with the first roost4   
,the walls are covered with sheathing   
paper laid inside over the studs1  and  
tongue-and-groove boards are nailed over
 this4 ,the outside is  weather-boarded1
 and the roof covered with tarred paper 
over boards  laid closely together4 ,a  
door at one end1 #bf in4 wide and #e ft4
 #f in4  high1 gives access to the      
building1 and a small door1 #ab  #ab    
in41  sliding in grooves1 is placed in  

the front near the floor1 for the use   
of the fowls4    ,this coop may be      
modified to suit individual preference2 
for instance1  by giving it a           
single-pitched roof4    ,illustration3  
,a portable colony house of simple      
design recommended by  ,j4 ,dryden and  
,a4 ,g4 ,lunn in a bulletin of the      
,oregon ,experiment ,station            
,illustration3 ,the rear of the same    
house1 showing the extension nest  boxes
 with individual covers    ,for the     
framework and inclosure these materials 
will be required3      ,hemlock or      
spruce for sills 7#e  #f in47           
#ch lineal feet      ,hemlock or spruce 
for corner supports and plate to        
support rafters 7#c  #d in47            
#fj lineal feet      ,for intermediate  
supports1 or studs1 corner braces1      
and rafters 7#b  #d7                    
#abj lineal feet    ,for the roof       
beneath the tarred paper1 #abh lineal   
feet of six-inch  boards will be        
required1 or #afj feet of five-inch     

boards2 #djj lineal  feet of five-inch  
weather boards will be required to      
inclose the  building4    ,for the      
window and door casings #ej lineal feet 
of suitable lumber will  be required1   
and #cj lineal feet of five-inch        
tongue-and-groove boards  for the door4 
,the hinged door in the rear is made of 
the weather boards and covered  with    
tarred paper on the inside4    ,about   
#ge square feet of tarred paper will be 
required4    ,about #abj sq4 ft4 of     
boarding will be required for the       
inside4    ,where circumstances compel  
one to use a damp location1 the building
  must be constructed so as to meet     
these conditions4 ,foundations of       
concrete1 brick1 or stone do not meet   
the conditions for a dry floor  where   
one must use a badly-drained site4 ,in  
such a case1 the building  must be set  
on posts4 ,short posts1 only a foot     
high1 hardly answer1  for debris may    
collect thereunder1 and harbor wild     
animals4 ,three feet  of space1 at      

least1 should be given underneath4      
,cedar posts six feet  apart1 sunk into 
the ground to a depth of three and      
one-half or four  feet1 a foot of       
concrete being first poured into the    
hole1 will insure  a firm support4      
,the back and sides of this open space  
may be inclosed with boards1 the  open  
front being protected with heavy1       
close-meshed galvanized poultry  wire1  
to prevent wild animals or poultry from 
taking refuge underneath4  ,in a very   
wet place1 however1 ,i would not inclose
 with boards at all4    ,the floor of   
such a building should be3 ,first1 wide1
 rough boards1 then  rubber roofing laid
 over them1 and secured at all joints to
 make it  moisture-proof1 and then      
narrow boards1 tightly fitted together4 
,this  upper flooring should be well    
seasoned and well nailed down4    ,a    
house of this character1 that will hold 
from twenty-five to  thirty-five fowls1 
with nesting1 scratching1 roosting1 and 
sand-bath  accommodations1 is eight and 

one-half feet deep1 twelve feet long1   
six  feet high in back1 and nine feet in
 front4 ,it has the single-pitched      
roof1 shingled4 ,its walls are          
double-boarded1 with an interlining of  
sheathing paper4 ,in the front are two  
windows1 six feet high by three  and    
one-half feet wide4 ,they are fitted    
with double sash1 which can be  removed 
in summer4 ,at night these sash are let 
down from the top1 and a  burlap-covered
 frame placed over the entire window1   
admitting fresh air  and preventing     
radiation of warmer air within through  
the exposed glass4    ,for a house in a 
damp location the large windows provide 
an excellent  means of insuring dryness 
in winter if used to transmit sunlight  
during  the day1 and covered at night as
 explained above4    ,illustration3 ,one
 of the ,oregon ,station types in which 
the whole end  is of netting1 covered   
with fabric in cold weather             
,illustration3 ,a colony house on skids1
 #g  #ab feet1 as recommended by  the   

,oregon ,experiment ,station to         
accommodate #cj to #dj fowls    ,a      
building that is practically fireproof  
may be made of cement blocks  for       
foundation and walls1 with a concrete   
floor six inches higher than  the       
outside ground4 ,wood may be used for   
the rafters and ceiling1  the roof being
 covered with metal1 tile1 or asbestos  
roofing1 and the  inside ceiling        
plastered4    ,another building which   
will provide seventy-five or one hundred
 fowls  with roosting1 scratching1 and  
nesting-room in the winter1 when foul   
weather makes confinement necessary1 is 
twenty feet long1 twelve feet  deep1 six
 feet high in the rear1 and ten feet    
high in front4 ,it has  a brick         
foundation and a concrete floor that is 
ten inches above the  level of the      
ground at the front of the building1 in 
order to bring it  well above the       
surface of the ground in the rear--the  
site is a sloping  one4    ,in the front
 are three windows1 one foot from the   

sides of the  building1 one foot below  
the top1 and one foot apart4 ,they are  
five  feet four inches wide1 three and  
one-half feet high1 and fitted with     
burlap-covered frames1 which may be     
lifted and fastened against the  ceiling
 when so desired4 ,weather boards1      
sheathing paper1 and narrow  boards on  
the inside form the walls4              
,illustration3 ,plan of a house to give 
roosting1 scratching and nesting        
accommodations to seventy-five or a     
hundred fowls    ,directly in front1 and
 extending the length of the building1  
is a  glass-inclosed sun room four feet 
high and five feet wide4 ,one end of    
this has a door to allow for the        
cleaning of the floor4 ,the concrete    
floor of the main room extends into the 
sun room4 ,three openings1 ten  inches  
wide and one foot high1 connect this sun
 room with the main  room1 and are      
provided with slides to be closed at    
night when the sun  room is no longer a 
warm place4    ,the roosts are in the   

rear and extend the entire length of the
  building4 ,there are three1 placed    
four feet above the ground floor4       
,these roosts are removable1 being set  
in grooves cut into the wooden  brackets
 which hold them4 ,a hinged drop-board  
in sections is hung below  the roosts4  
,the nests are forty in number in two   
tiers1 and are fixed to the front  wall 
of the building1 below the windows4     
,they are covered at the top1  open at  
the side1 and have a running-board      
before them one foot wide4  ,nests and  
boards are supported by stout wooden    
brackets about three  feet apart4 ,nests
 and perches are reached by             
climbing-boards at one end  of the room4
 ,the door is placed at the opposite end
 of the building1  and is twenty-six    
inches wide and six feet high4 ,it can  
be made wider  if desired1 as there is  
room4    ,illustration3 ,cross-section  
of the house for seventy-five or a      
hundred  fowls1 showing the glazed      
scratching shed on the south front      

,the care of the young birds is greatly 
lightened by houses built for  them     
especially4 ,these need not be large nor
 elaborate1 and1 since  they are for use
 in the milder seasons of the year1 do  
not require  great precautions against  
the cold4    ,illustration3 ,the care of
 the young birds is greatly lightened by
 the  use of small houses that can be   
moved about    ,while the slant-roofed  
colony coops1 which can be moved about1 
are best  for the care of large flocks  
of growing poultry1 the progeny of the  
small family flock may be conveniently  
housed in one long coop divided  into   
compartments1 with separate little pens 
before each division4 ,a  coop of this  
kind1 six feet long1 thirty inches wide1
 and twenty-seven  inches high1 will    
shelter seventy-five young chicks very  
comfortably  from babyhood to large     
broiler age4 ,the floor should be made  
tight and  warm1 and the coop mounted   
upon skids or runners1 so that it may be
  moved if desired4 ,the top of this    

coop slants gently and lifts up like  a 
lid for inspection and cleaning1 and    
this top is hinged to the rear  side1   
and covered with tarred paper4    ,since
 young chicks will crowd and smother if 
the air supply is limited1  the entire  
front of the coop1 to seven inches above
 the bottom1  is covered with coarse    
muslin or sacking during spring1 and    
with  galvanized wire netting in the    
summer4    ,the size of the lumber      
necessary for any of these buildings is 
about  the same3 ,timber for sills1 #e  
#f in42 cross-beams and main supports1  
#d   #c in42 intermediate joists1       
supports1 and rafters1 #b  #d in42 and  
for  weather boards and floor boards1   
any convenient width4    ,well-seasoned 
lumber should be used1 and should be    
first-class of its  kind4 ,second-grade 
material may be used for the wood-house1
 but faulty  building of the poultry    
house may mean more in losses from      
drafty  floors or walls than the saving 
in the first outlay will warrant4       

,,floors ,,and ,,foundations      ,the  
floor of the poultry house sustains as  
important a relation to  the health of  
the fowls as any other part of the      
building4 ,a cold1  drafty floor is a   
constant menace1 inducing catarrhal     
affections1 and a  damp floor1 with its 
constant evaporation of unwholesome     
moisture1 is  equally unfavorable4      
,the floor of the building bears a close
 relation to the foundation2  indeed1   
its character is actually determined by 
the kind of foundation  used4 ,from this
 relation have developed three distinct 
styles of  flooring3 the earth or cement
 floor with brick or stone foundations2 
the board floor with a foundation2 and  
the board floor without a  foundation1  
the structure being supported on posts4 
,any one of these can be made a success 
if its peculiar requirements are        
complied with4    ,the board floor with 
a foundation makes a warm floor1 but it 
is not  durable over a perfectly tight  
foundation1 which tends to induce       

rotting from the dampness of the soil   
beneath4 ,to insure against this1       
openings should be left in either end of
 the foundation--openings about  the    
size of a brick's end4 ,in a long       
building1 such openings should  occur at
 intervals of ten feet4    ,such places 
are an invitation to rats1 however1 and 
should be securely  protected by heavy1 
close-meshed galvanized wire1 or by iron
 grating4    ,the flooring must be so   
tight as to prevent drafts coming up    
through  it4 ,in the case of the board  
floor without a foundation1 the building
  rests upon posts1 and some poultrymen 
leave the space beneath open so  that   
the air sweeps through beneath it4      
,others board up the windside4  ,such   
buildings should never be boarded all   
the way around1 however1  as rats will  
burrow beneath or gnaw through1 giving a
 great deal of  trouble4    ,laying tin 
around the edges over the interlining to
 a width of about  six inches1 letting  
it project under the inner wall1 and    

meeting the  outer wall1 will prevent   
rats from gnawing into the building4    
,a warm floor is secured by laying it   
double with an airtight  interlining of 
roofing paper or similar substance4     
7,for the lower layer  of boards1       
hemlock answers well47 ,cementing the   
surface of the floor  gives a clean     
smooth surface4    ,an earth floor or   
one of cement is cold and damp1 if lower
 or even  level with the outside surface
 of the ground4 ,it should be at least  
six inches higher1 and1 to render it    
dry1 a layer of stone several  inches   
deep should be placed in beneath the six
 inches of earth4    ,all floors must be
 cleaned frequently1 fresh litter being 
placed in all  scratching rooms1 and    
sunlight be allowed to stream in upon   
them4    ,where an earth floor is used1 
fresh earth or ashes must take the place
  of that cleared away each day4        
,though not of secondary importance1 the
 foundation of the poultry  house is a  
secondary consideration1 for after one  

has decided upon  his location1 manner  
of building1 and the best kind of floor 
for his  hens under those conditions1 he
 may come to a conclusion about the     
foundation4    ,illustration3 ,an earth 
floor lower than the outside surface is 
cold  and damp    ,illustration3 ,the   
flooring must be perfectly tight to     
prevent drafts  coming through it       
,the brick1 concrete1 or stone          
continuous foundations have such a      
stable  appearance that1 looks alone    
considered1 they are preferable to      
posts4  ,where brick or concrete posts  
are used1 however1 the effect is not    
unstable4    ,on a good building site1  
,i like the brick or concrete           
foundation1 and  would have no other4   
,under such conditions1 it meets the    
requirements  of a durable building for 
fowls4    ,the foundation of the poultry
 house need not be deeper than two or   
two  and one-half feet below the surface
 of the ground1 according to the        
climate of the locality4 ,the object is 

to lay it below the freezing  point4 ,it
 must be high enough to actually raise  
the building above the  earth and its   
dampness4 ,where the soil washes in     
around the foundation1  gradually       
covering it and partly burying the wood 
above1 it is likely  to cause the       
weather boards to decay around the base4
    ,get a man who understands his job  
to do the work of foundation-laying1    
else your superstructure will suffer4   
,,the ,,roof      ,the roof of the      
poultry house is1 for the average       
poultryman1 a problem  solved by the    
state of his pocketbook1 climate1 and   
the location of his  buildings1 as well 
as personal preference4    ,the shape of
 the roof may be governed by taste1 the 
prevailing type of  architecture1 etc41 
but where the welfare of the fowls      
themselves is  jeopardized by a certain 
style1 personal preference must yield   
and the  health of the birds themselves 
determine the choice4    ,roofs that can
 be made watertight with the least      

difficulty1 which do  not overhang so   
far as to prevent sunlight from entering
 the windows1  and which are sightly1   
are the aim of the average builder4     
,considered from the point of utility   
alone1 the single-pitched roof  seems to
 be the most popular4 ,it gives the     
necessary watershed and  interior room  
for the least amount of material4       
,while the height of the roof from the  
floor should be influenced by  the other
 dimensions of the building1 the fowls  
will do as well with  a low-roofed      
building properly cleaned and           
ventilated1 as with one of  lofty roof1 
but the inconvenience of caring for the 
low-roofed building  must be considered1
 and hence few of us want a roof lower  
than six feet4    ,after one has decided
 the form of the roof1 the next point is
 the  material4    ,in counting the     
cost1 one must consider the possible    
expense in keeping  in repair a roof    
cheap at the outset4 ,some roofs absorb 
the sun's  rays to such a degree as to  

make the building too warm4 ,in certain 
locations a fireproof roof is           
imperative1 by law or expediency4       
,illustration3 ,the single-pitched roof 
is the most economical of  material and 
labor1 a consideration of importance in 
the housing of  large flocks    ,wood1  
metal1 and the tarred paper or felt     
roofing have peculiar  qualifications   
which adapt them to individual          
requirements4 ,the paper  or felt       
roofings appeal to a great many people1 
as the work of applying  the material   
can be done by an amateur4 ,these       
roofings are laid on  over boards and   
secured in position by nails1 the       
joinings being made  watertight with    
cement4 ,pliant roofings should be      
turned well over the  edges of the roof 
and fastened securely4 ,allowance for   
lapping of the  strips is made on the   
material1 and this lap should be        
observed4 ,the  cost of the cement and  
nails necessary to the work is included 
in the  price of the roofing per roll4  

,there are several good tarred roofings 
on the market at one dollar and eighty  
cents or one dollar and ninety  cents   
per roll of about one hundred square    
feet4 ,when buying1 it is  best to      
select those having a fireproof surface4
 ,two-ply felt roofing  is more         
economical than the one-ply1 as it makes
 a much more lasting  roof4 ,after three
 or four years it will require          
repainting1 and this  must be done      
promptly to preserve the roof4 ,the     
price of the felt  roofings varies1     
costing from two to two and one-half    
dollars per  square4    ,all flexible   
roofings must be laid over boards that  
are fitted closely1  else they will tend
 to break over the crevices4    ,the    
galvanized steel and iron roofings are  
the most durable of all4 ,the  best     
grade of galvanized iron costs from four
 dollars and twenty-five  cents to five 
dollars per square 7#ajj square feet71  
covering the cost  of laying1 but as it 
is absolutely fireproof1 lower insurance

 rates are  obtainable on buildings     
where it is used4    ,the galvanized    
roof is very warm in summer1 which in   
some sections  proves an objection4     
,tarred paper also is hot4    ,roofs of 
cedar or white pine shingles outlast the
 pliant roofings1 and  really cost less 
in the end4 ,one poultryman who has had 
experience with  metal1 felt1 paper1 and
 shingle roofing1 prefers the last1     
claiming  that it serves him best for   
least cost4    ,where other buildings   
have just been constructed1 there may be
  left-over roofing material of a higher
 grade1 which will serve to cover  the  
poultry house4 ,roofing tile and        
asbestos shingles make excellent  roofs1
 and are very sightly1 but their use    
demands a different  treatment of the   
roof framing1 and an experienced workman
 to make a  satisfactory job4           
,,walls1 ,,windows ,,and ,,ventilation  
,obtain an influx of fresh air without  
drafts and without too great  cooling of
 the air1 and you have solved the       

problem of ventilation4  ,to prevent an 
undue fall of temperature1 there must   
be1 in addition  to a fresh-air supply1 
a continuous heat supply1 and this      
exists  in the fowls themselves4 ,this  
we must plan to conserve4 ,admitting    
the fabric-covered window--now so       
universally used--to be the best        
solution of how to admit fresh air with 
the least loss of heat1 the             
accompaniment of this is perfect        
tightness of the windowless sides4      
,as far as materials are concerned1     
wood1 brick1 cement blocks1 or  stone1  
are equally satisfactory if their       
requirements are understood1  and they  
are used to suit conditions4 ,some      
poultrymen object to brick  or stone1   
claiming that they are damp1 yet we know
 that stone does  not create moisture4  
,of course1 masonry being a better      
conductor of  heat than wood1 moisture  
already in the air will condense upon   
stone1  concrete1 etc41 when it will not
 be evident on wood4 ,the moisture-laden

  air1 which is cold and unhealthy for  
the fowls1 must be due to a damp  floor1
 poor ventilation1 or some such reason4 
,the fact that a certain  concrete or   
stone wall is dry would prove that      
conditions were right1  while the wooden
 wall would show warning signs only in  
extreme dampness4    ,in localities     
where stone abounds1 the entire building
 may be  constructed of stone1 giving   
ample window room4    ,all buildings    
which are plastered or cemented in any  
part of their  construction should be   
allowed to dry thoroughly before the    
flock moves  in4    ,as an important aid
 to uniformity of temperature in winter1
 the wall  space filled with confined   
air is important4 ,the cement blocks and
  hollow building tile provide for this 
to a certain extent4 ,a double  board   
wall may give this result if carefully  
constructed4 ,by placing  sheathing     
paper under the weather boards1 and also
 under the ceiling  boards1 a very      
satisfactory wall is possible4    ,a    

warm wall is made by combining brick and
 boards--using weather boards  outside1 
brick within1 and plaster1 or ceiling   
boards1 on the inner  side4    ,a single
 board wall can be made comfortable as  
winter quarters by  covering the outside
 with roofing paper and having it       
painted black4  ,these black-painted hen
 houses and coops are too warm in       
summer1  however4    ,the inside walls  
of the hen house should be smooth enough
 to be kept  clean4 ,a good wood-filler 
in the crevices prevents lice and mites 
from  lodging there1 but if1 when       
whitewashing the walls1 care is taken to
  work the lime into the crevices with  
the brush1 and this work is done  often 
enough1 say four times a year1 such     
pests would be kept down4    ,make it a 
rule to have the windows on the light1  
sunny side of the  building1 facing     
south or southeast1 but have none on the
 other three  sides4    ,windows really 
ought to be of such a size and position 
that the  sunlight can reach every part 

of the floor space during some part of  
the day4 ,though we all believe in the  
benefit of sunlight1 we do not  always  
realize how important a part it plays in
 the care of poultry4  ,when we consider
 that vermin and disease thrive in its  
absence1 and  that remedial measures are
 more or less troublesome and expensive1
 we  will work into our building schemes
 every possible inlet for sunlight4     
,the windows should occupy a large part 
of the front wall  area--one-third of   
it1 at least1 and be evenly distributed 
over the  upper part of the surface4    
,movable window sash or curtain frames  
are  imperative4    ,the position of the
 ventilating arrangement depends upon   
the position  of the fowls at night4 ,it
 is a strange fact that human beings1   
animals1  and poultry can better stand a
 current of air coming directly toward  
the front of the head than from the rear
 or sides2 hence ,i would place  the    
roosts so that the fowls face the window
 and get the fresh air on a  level with 

the nostrils rather than from above or  
below4 ,thus they are  fortified against
 a drop in temperature4 ,for example1   
where the roosts  are to be two feet    
above the floor1 ,i would have the      
windows about  twenty inches from the   
floor1 provided the roof is             
correspondingly low4  ,with the roosts  
three or four feet above the floor1 the 
window should  be from thirty-two to    
forty-four inches above the floor1 etc4 
,i think  it is safe to have the windows
 not higher than eight or twelve inches 
below the eaves1 and six inches from the
 sides of the building4                 
,illustration3 ,when pigeons as well as 
chickens are kept the shelters  for both
 may be economically combined           
,despite the fact that some poultrymen  
have discarded glass1 ,i cannot  rule it
 out altogether4 ,it certainly has its  
uses on cold wintry days  when the heat 
of the sun's rays is wanted without the 
chill wintry air4  ,i believe these     
glass windows should be covered at      

night1 and that  the fabric curtain is  
therefore the most sensible mode of     
night  ventilation4 ,burlap1 sacking1 or
 coarse muslin may be used to cover the 
window frames4 ,burlap is the most      
substantial4 ,in tacking it to the      
frame1 tacks with tin discs beneath the 
head 7like those with roofing  nails7   
may be used1 or a thin light strip of   
wood may bind the burlap  to the frame1 
and through it the tacks are driven4    
,wherever glass is used1 some protection
 of poultry wire is necessary to        
prevent its being broken4          ,,the
 ,,door ,,of ,,the ,,poultry ,,house    
,it aids in ridding the house of dust   
if1 when the fowls are out1 a  searching
 breeze can blow through occasionally4  
,for this reason1 end  doors are a great
 advantage1 but they must be            
draft-proof4    ,the good points of an  
otherwise well-built poultry house may  
be set at  naught by carelessly made    
doors1 which fit loosely in their       
casings4    ,doors which open on the    

cold or exposed side of a building      
require  more precautions against drafts
 than those on the sunny side4 ,the door
  should be of tightly fitted boards1   
and covered on the inner side with      
tarred roofing paper1 or thin1 narrow   
boards4    ,the following hints are for 
a door that is practically draft-proof3 
,for  the door itself use               
tongue-and-groove boards1 an inch thick1
 reinforced  six inches from the top and
 bottom by cross-pieces six inches wide1
 and  beneath the latch by a rectangle  
of the same wood4 ,over this is tacked  
sheathing paper1 fitting it about the   
cross-pieces4 ,the inner side is        
finished with narrow tongue-and-groove  
ceiling boards4 7,these may be  placed  
over the battens or between them47 ,in  
case they are to be placed  over the    
battens1 the open space between the two 
board surfaces is  closed with a narrow 
wooden strip4    ,the door casing is    
five inches thick1 the sill board six   
inches wide1  and slanting to one inch  

lower on the outside than on the inside4
 ,on  the sides and across the upper    
part of the door casing are nailed      
inch-thick strips which1 with the edge  
of the casing against which  the door   
shuts1 gives a two-inch edge which      
effectually excludes air  currents4     
,against the lower edge of the door is a
 heavy strip of felt1  reinforced with  
leather where it is tacked to the door4 
,,nests ,,and ,,roosts      ,when we    
have come to the interior fittings of   
the poultry house1 we are  about ready  
for the flock to move in1 and may       
consult the peculiarities  of our chosen
 breed to some extent4    ,in the matter
 of nests1 heavier breeds of fowls need 
them of easier  access than do the      
lighter breeds4 ,the latter class seem  
to enjoy an  ascent to their nests1 and 
it is as well to favor them4    ,the    
nests may be around the sides of the    
building1 beneath the roosts  and       
drop-board1 or in any convenient place1 
and there should be as many  as there is

 room for4 ,nests that are scattered    
about and possess some  distinctive     
characteristics seem to make a greater  
appeal to some  fowls4 ,nests in tiers  
of three or in blocks of three seem to  
be readily  identified by the hens if   
the different sets of nests are         
differently  placed1 but a row of half a
 dozen nests exactly alike is confusing 
to  the average hen4    ,when space is  
at a premium1 the nests should stand    
beneath the roosts1  protected by a     
wooden drop-board--smooth to be         
vermin-proof and  removable to be       
sanitary4 ,a hinged board serves to     
darken the nest  and at the same time   
can be held up by a hook when so        
desired4 ,for  cleanliness the nest     
should be made of wood and treated with 
some  vermin preventive which should be 
washed well into all crevices4 ,if  the 
nest is raised four or five inches from 
the floor and built with a  porous      
bottom1 it is more easily kept dry4 ,the
 compartments should be  separated to   

prevent interference between layers4    
,each of these should  be1 as a rule1   
#af  #ab  #ad inches1 although ,i am now
 using nests #ac-a_/b  in4 long by      
#aj-a_/b in4 wide and #ab in4 high4 ,in 
order to be lifted for  cleaning some   
light material must be used4 ,a         
convenient arrangement is  a long1      
narrow box1 fitting the available space1
 divided by partitions  into individual 
nests4 ,wire netting makes a very good  
bottom for this  type of nest4 ,i like  
either this or the slat bottom1 through 
which the  dust and worn nest material  
sift and the air circulates4 ,of course1
  such a nest should be supported on    
brackets or suspended so that the  air  
can penetrate its parts4 ,grocer's boxes
 may be converted into good  nests by   
removing the bottom and tacking smooth  
slats across1 with one  and one-half    
inches of space between each4           
,inch-meshed poultry wire  may be used  
if one is going to use the wire netting4
 ,a coat of paint  gives a more sanitary

 surface1 but if this is not            
practicable1 the wood  should be planed 
as smooth as possible and whitewashed4  
,concealment is usually favorable to the
 use of the nests1 and if the  apartment
 is light and sunny1 a board screen may 
be used to secure  this1 or the nest    
entrance may be turned away from the    
light4 ,i am  using curtains of sacking 
with marked increase of popularity among
 my  fowls4 ,nests which were           
persistently shunned are now constantly 
used  since thus darkened4 ,the sacking 
may be hung from a wooden strip placed  
in front of the nests4 ,it gets dusty1  
but if one is provided with two  or     
three such curtains1 the soiled ones may
 be hung outdoors in the  wind and rain 
for cleansing4    ,illustration3        
,alfalfa in the run under netting1      
through which the hens  may pick        
,illustration3 ,even with the small     
flock the trap nest should be           
used--there is no use feeding           
non-producers    ,the trap nest is as   

useful to the small poultryman as to the
 man who  runs a large poultry plant4   
,it is so arranged that each laying hen 
and her product may be identified4 ,a   
trap nest may be improvised from  a box 
of suitable size4 ,cut out entrance and 
exit in opposite sides1  and in each    
suspend a door so that it will swing at 
a pressure of the  fowl's head4 ,the    
entrance door swings inward only--the   
exit door swings  outward4 ,after the   
egg is laid1 the hen passes through the 
exit into a  small inclosure1 from which
 she is liberated after her achievement 
has  been recorded4    ,where rational  
methods are used in nest construction1  
it is hardly  necessary to use nest-eggs
 to secure the fowl's patronage of the  
nests4  ,where they are used1 however1  
those of dull finish are preferable to  
the smooth glass ones4    ,hens want a  
roost that they can clasp with their    
toes4 ,it should be  broad enough to    
support the bird's weight upon the ball 
of the foot  and thin enough to allow   

the toes to curl under4 ,this act is a  
reflex  one and as much a part of their 
slumber as scratching is a part of      
their waking activities4 ,this power of 
clasping the perch seems to  belong to  
birds in vigorous conditions4 ,ailing   
birds that cannot roost  seldom have    
enough vitality to recover4    ,roosts  
two and one-quarter inches wide and not 
more than an inch  thick1 with slightly 
rounded edges favoring the curl of the  
toes1 are  satisfactory4 ,they may be   
arranged horizontally1 or slightly      
inclined1  ladder fashion4 ,light poles 
cut from young saplings make suitable   
roosts1 if scraped clean of bark and    
shaved to flatten them slightly on  the 
upper side4 ,horizontal roosts may be   
placed about one foot apart1  and not   
more than three lying parallel1 or the  
fowls roosting on the  rear perch do not
 get enough air4 ,i prefer them slightly
 inclined1  ladder fashion1 at an angle 
of nearly thirty degrees1 the lowest    
perch  not lower than three feet from   

the floor1 and not more than three      
perches parallel4 ,where the fabric     
curtain is used1 all get the benefit  of
 the fresh air coming through the canvas
 curtain4          ,,the ,,run      ,the
 runs are essentially a part of the     
problem of housing4 ,fowls need  plenty 
of exercise1 yet they are entirely too  
meddlesome to be given  full liberty    
where one has a garden1 a good lawn1 and
 flowers4 ,while  hens may be kept in   
buildings and1 with proper care1 still  
retain  their health1 the average owner 
of a small flock can keep the birds     
more economically if he gives them the  
natural advantages of outdoor  exercise4
    ,the most useful run is the divided 
pen1 each section to be used            
alternately4    ,for the active-laying  
breeds1 three runs1 about ten by forty  
feet1 to  be used alternately by the    
flock of forty hens1 are advisable4     
,where  two are used the dimensions     
should be greater--say ten by sixty4    
,a yard inclosure for large birds       

requires two-inch meshed poultry wire1  
five and one-half or six feet in width1 
supported by posts set nine  or ten feet
 apart4 ,the wire is attached to the    
posts by staples about  four inches     
apart4 ,a wooden strip or any other     
finish along the top of  the fence is an
 objection4 ,the lower edge of the wire 
requires a board  or strip to which it  
is tacked4 ,boards six inches wide may  
be used for  this4          ,,some      
,,hints ,,on ,,upkeep      ,the poultry 
house1 no matter how carefully built1 is
 not a fit place  for poultry1 if it is 
neglected4 ,cobwebs draped across the   
corners  hold dust and disease germs4   
,neglected perches become mite-infested 
and are thereafter a menace to the      
health of the poultry4 ,grooves and     
crevices in walls harbor mites1 lice1   
and disease4 ,burlap curtains that      
become dusty do not readily admit pure  
air1 or else convey a cloud  of dust    
directly back to the fowls4 ,floors that
 are covered with an  accumulation of   

dirt become damp and cold1 aside from   
the danger of  contamination4    ,window
 panes that are cloudy with dirt do not 
admit sunlight properly4    ,the proper 
care of the poultry house means work1   
and the place seems  hopelessly unlovely
 when the task has been ignored from day
 to day1 and  one's sins of omission are
 seen in the aggregate4 ,the proper way 
to  perform such work is daily1 when but
 a few minutes will serve to keep  the  
building sanitary4    ,the litter of    
straw should be changed frequently1 say1
 every third  day--the floor swept and  
fresh litter spread upon it4    ,the    
droppings should be removed daily4 ,a   
little fine dry sand acts as  an        
absorbent if sprinkled over the cleaned 
surface4    ,walls should be swept down 
once a week1 giving attention to        
corners1  under and behind nests1       
perches1 etc4 ,for this purpose a splint
 broom1  such as is used around stables1
 is most useful4    ,for thorough       
cleansing after all loose dirt has been 

swept away nothing  is superior to      
whitewashing4 ,it makes the room        
lighter1 sweetens the  air1 and is a    
cold shoulder to all vermin4 ,a         
sprinkling of dilute  carbolic acid is a
 safeguard against disease4 ,perches are
 best cleaned  by washing with some     
liquid insecticide1 and then allowing   
them to  dry in the sun4 ,a good wash is
 made by dissolving half a cake of any  
laundry soap in ten quarts of water and 
adding five tablespoonfuls of  kerosene 
oil4          ,transcriber's note3      
,italics is represented with underscore 
1 small caps with ,,all ,,caps and      
underlining with tilde 4 ,ambiguous     
hyphens at the ends of lines were       
retained and illustrations moved to     
paragraph breaks4    ,the following     
corrections have been made3    p4 #aa   
are #ad in4 long41 - removed period     
after long    p4 #aa to #e-;in4 height -
 removed hyphen after #e    ,everything 
else has been retained as printed4