268 STATe BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



PORTABLE COLONY HOUSE. 



Figures 15 and 16 are drawings of a portable colony house which has 

 a universal use, being suited for brooding early chicks, when fitted up 

 with Universal Hovers or indoor brooders. (See also Figs. 2, 4, 17 and 

 18.) It may be used as a colony house on the range for growing chicks 

 during the summer, or as a special pen for breeding hens in the early 

 spring. The house is seven and one-half feet by twelve feet. It is built 

 on runners four inches square, extending lengthwise of the building. 

 Pieces of two by four inch material are placed on edge for joists four 

 feet apart, and the floor is then laid before the frame work is con- 

 structed. The studding is then toenailed to the floor, being six feet 

 long in front, and four feet in the back, and placed three feet apart. 

 Two by four inch pieces are used as plates. Figure IG shows the loca- 

 tion of the door and windows in the front of the colony house. The 

 door in the center is 2 feet 6 inches by 6 feet. On each side of the 

 door is a 9 light, 8 by 10-inch glass window, hinged at the top to swing 

 out and fitted in a way to permit its removal in summer. The house 

 can be easily hauled from one location to another, largely eliminating 

 Ihe question of yarding young chicks, and making the summer care of 

 growing chicks comparatively easy. 



CONCLUSION. 



Simplicity of construction, economy of building material, eflSciency 

 of ventilation and lighting, with due regard to location and dryness are 

 the essential points to be considered in building a poultry plant. All 

 fixtures should be movable and simple in construction, being so placed 

 as to utilize the least possible amount of floor space. Feed boxes, hop- 

 pers, nests, etc., should have sloping tops and windows should be ar- 

 ranged in a way to prevent birds from roosting in objectionable places. 

 A little forethought in planning will make the house much more satis- 

 factorv and convenient. 



