196 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



house B is 2\ feet of dry sand, fine gravel, fine coal cinders, ashes, lime and grit in 

 the shape of ground oyster shells, broken mortar or plaster, pieces of old crockery 

 broken up, and any other substances calculated to make the conditions as like those 

 of the outside run, of the open season, as possible. The floor may be of boards or 

 earth but it must be kept perfectly dry. A narrow trough 2 or 2^ inches wide should 

 be attached to the wall so as to permit of the proper feeding of soft food, if given. 

 The object of this scratching house is to keep the layers busy all day and as much 

 as possible out of house A, where they are only wanted to go to roost in and to lay. 

 A fair sized window or windows should be in the south wall so as to admit as much 

 sunlight as possible. 



The houses can be made as large or as small a's the number of hens require, 

 always allowing 4 feet square for each hen, at the least, in the scratching room, 

 and 8 to 10 inches roosting room for hens of medium and small size. 



Diagram No. 2. 



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i 



I 

 I 



-^5 



J'i 



fi 



RoOMfOR SCRATCHiHG \H 



30' o" 



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S 



1. Platform and 

 roosts with nests 

 underneath. 



2. Sh'destoscratch- 

 ing room. 



3. 4 and 5. Doors. 



The above plan. No. 2, shows the end of the barn with the roosting and laying 

 room and scratching room attached. 



The numbers are explained as follows : — 



1. Is the platform and roost with the nest boxes underneath. This platform 



need not run all the length of the room. Indeed, the room might be 

 made smaller and warmer at night by making the platform into smaller 

 lengths and running them cross-ways or from north to south. 



2. Are the slides to allow access to scratching-room. In a smaller house one or 



two might do. 



3 and 4. Are doors to get into the apartments. 



5. Is a side door to get in and out of the room for scratching, to clean up, etc. 

 If it can be managed without, there need be no necessity for this door, 

 as the fewer openings the less cold the premises are likely to be. 



