368 Reading-Course for Farmers. 



354, 355, 356). If trap nests are not desired, the nests will be located 

 in the same place but will have one door hung at the bottom in front of the 

 nests, which are located under the platform, the hens entering from 

 the rear. 



Nests are provided in the proportion of one nest to about five fowls. 

 There are about 18 linear feet perch-room in each pen, which is about 

 seven inches perch-room per fowl. 



A broody coop is provided in connection with the roosting arrange- 

 ment where it is most out of the way, and most convenient to place fowls 

 as they are removed from the nests in each pen. 



The floor of the broody coop is slatted, which keeps the floor clean 

 and dry. The false floor is easily thrown back to clean the platform, 

 A cloth frame hinged to the rafters can be shut down in front of the 

 roost platform. This will only need to be used during exceptionally cold 

 nights. The roosting room or hooded roost provides about thirty-six 

 square feet floor space, including broody coop, and contains fifty cubic 

 feet of air space, which is allowing one-half cubic foot of air space per 

 pound of live weight of fowl, estimating that thirty fowls are kept in the 

 pen and that they weigh on an average of four pounds each. This would 

 be too small if it were not for the cloth curtain which permits of 

 exchange of air. 



Q. 17. Is it necessary to have a " scratching shed"? 



Ans. 17. Page 288, paragraph i. It will be observed that this house 

 is all scratching shed. The only roosting pen provided is the hooded 

 roost. This construction requires the least possible outlay for building 

 material, permits the fowls to enjoy a sheltered, protected life in the open 

 air on all days except during blizzard weather without the exposure of 

 open sheds, and thus avoiding on the other hand the close, enervating,' 

 sultry conditions of the tight poultry house. 



Q. 18. Is it advisable to have an alleyway? 



Ans. 18. Page 286, paragraph i. This house is the first two sections 

 of a long continuous house, the remaining sections to be built later. No 

 alleyways are provided. The hens, therefore, get the benefit of the entire 

 floor space. The attendant is compelled to be among the fowls when 

 caring for them, and much expense is saved both in labor and materials 

 in constructing the interior of the house. Nearly one-fourth the expense 

 in house construction is avoided by not having an alleyway. 



O. 19. Should a poultry house be built to conform to the slope of tJie 

 land or should the foundation he level? 



Ans. 19. The land slopes gradually to the west, dropping about five 

 feet in two hundred feet. This makes it necessary for the pens which 



