EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETINS. 499 



The eggs laid by different breeds have approximately the same com- 

 position, nor do extreme changes in the character of the foods supplied 

 cause marked variations in the composition of the eggs. The latter con- 

 tain about seventy-five parts water, and twenty-five parts solids. The 

 solids are made up of albumen, fat and ash, 12 per cent of the white and 

 yolk being albumen, 10 per cent fat, and about 1 per cent ash. 



The feeding of capons during the winter was found to be profitable, 

 since they made goods gains at a comparatively low food cost. 



I. — THE POULTRY HOUSE. 



Whether the main object in keeping poultry be production of eggs 

 or fattening growing fowls the success of the enterprise depends in no 

 slight degree upon the location and arrangement of the house and yard. 

 In the first place the lands upon which the establishment is placed must 

 be dry, elevated, and well drained. All breeds of chickens thrive better 

 on sand or sandy loams than on clay, and the larger breeds, feathered 

 as some of them are to the feet and even to the end of the toe, cannot 

 endure confinement to damp localities. In the next place the ground 

 should slope to the south or southeast. Nature's great germ destroyer is 

 the sunlight. Provision should be made therefore to give free access to 

 the sunlight to every inch of floor space in the hen house. The hen yard 

 should be as far as possible on the south side of the house and should 

 slope away to the south or southeast. The windows must, of course, be 

 on the south side and on the south side alone, so that the earliest beams 

 of the morning sun may enter and the house be light, airy and dry. The 

 health of the flock depends on dryness, warmth, and plenty of sunlight. 



The poultry houses should be so placed as to allow for large runs. On 

 the ordinary farm it is necessary to keep the chickens confined for some 

 portion of the year, to prevent injury to the garden or growing field 

 crops. Large runs should therefore be provided that the fowls may be 

 induced to take that abundant exercise which experience shows to be 

 essential to prolificacy. 



Finally the convenience of the owner is worthy of some consideration. 

 During certain seasons, the poultry house must be visited not once but 

 many times every day and a great loss of time and work will be avoided 

 if it is conveniently located with reference to the other buildings on the 

 farm. It should not abut upon the garden nor should it be connected 

 under the same roof, with the horse stalls, sheep sheds, or cattle barns. 

 It w T ould better be a distinct feature of the farm equipment separate 

 from all other buildings. Fumigation can then be given when neceessary 

 without interfering with the other buildings and the ubiquitous hen lice 

 will not cause discomfort to the farm stock. 



In the construction of the hen houses at the College these general 

 principles were regarded. It was necessary to provide accommodation 

 for a large number of breeds to be used in giving instruction to the stu- 

 dents as to varietal differences. The first hen house was therefore so 

 planned as to allow for the housing of a large number of breeds and a 

 smaller number of hens than would be recommended for commercial 

 purposes. The horizontal dimensions of the building were forty feet 

 long east and west by twenty-four feet north and south. An alleyway 



