POULTRY EXPERIMENTS. 55 



The houses which the pullets occupy are blocked up about a 

 foot and a half and the open space between the house and the 

 ground gives cool shelter which the birds enjoy. The pullets 

 do not trouble about going under the houses to spend the night, 

 but the cockerels do, and we find it necessary to board around 

 the cockerel houses and deny them the cool retreat. 



As the cockerels develop in September and October, they 

 become quarrelsome and there are bullies among them, at every 

 house, that domineer over their mates during the day, and stand 

 guard at the doors at dark. With such fellows in the way it is 

 difficult getting the underlings into the house at shutting up time 

 at night, if they have a chance to skulk under the building. 



Houses for Laying and Breeding Hens. 



Two styles of houses are in use at the Station. One is a 

 thoroughly made double walled building, i6 by 150 feet in size. 

 It is always kept above freezing by a water heater and a flow 

 and return, two-inch pipe, running the length of the building. 

 This building was constructed with especial reference to com- 

 fort, health and productiveness. Small well made houses with 

 single walls had formerly been in use, but they would get white 

 with frost in cold weather, if shut up close enough so the birds 

 did not suffer from cold during winter nights. When the 

 weather moderated, the white frost would change to water and 

 the straw litter on the floor would become damp and clammy. 

 The birds showed their dislike for the damp straw bv keeping 

 off from it as much as they could. Such houses were unsatis- 

 factory, and so the large warmed house was built. It was a 

 decided improvement over the cold ones, because it could be 

 ventilated and the birds not suffer with the cold. But it was 

 not possible to secure sufficient ventilation, even though the 

 house was moderately warmed, to prevent the presence of con- 

 siderable moisture in the bedding. 



Good yields of eggs were obtained from hens kept in that 

 hoiise and the losses of birds were not excessive. The hens 

 showed, however, that they were not in the best condition bv a 

 little lack of color in comb, and energy in action. This house 

 has not been abandoned and is highly prized for laying hens. 

 Since breeding cockerels cannot be carried in the other houses, 

 without danger of chilled combs, they are wintered in this 

 warmed house until danger from chilling is past. 



