598 



THE AMERICAN FARMER. 



Mr. George C. Brown, an extensive poultry breeder in Maryland, recommends that the 

 floor of the hennery be never made of wood, as the droppings are absorbed to a certain extent, 

 which causesan unwholesome odor, as well as dampness, both of which are very detrimental 

 to the successful rearing of poultry. He says: &quot;The proper way is to build a tight wall 

 (cement or plaster), at least one foot higher than the earth, and fill it up with good, dry sand 

 or earth. Constructed in this manner, the floor being so much higher than the outside earth, 

 it is always in all weathers entirely free from dampness. Nests must be provided, and they 

 should be made as secluded as possible. Have them quite dark. The hens like to go in a 

 dark place to lay, and they are not as apt to get in the bad habit of eating their eggs, if nests 



are thus constructed. &quot;Where the house 

 is made large enough to admit of it, it is 

 a good plan to have a narrow room ad 

 joining, and have all the nests made 

 uniform in size, with a bottom, sides, and 

 one end. They can be arranged on shelves, 

 near the bottom of the room, placing the 

 upper end towards the roosting room, so 

 that the fowls can enter the nests from 

 there. A board should be so arranged 

 in the little room and hinged, that it may 

 be raised up to gather the eggs from 

 these nests.&quot; 



The natural floor is, of course, the 

 earth, but this is, unless special pains be 

 taken, in almost any locality, too wet 

 from the constantly rising moisture of 



POULTRY HOUSE OF G. W. CHIDSEY, ELMTHA, N. Y. 



the lower strata, and too foul from droppings, to furnish a wholesome dusting place, even if 

 it were not too damp to be friable and dustlike. To obviate this, either a floor of sand, as 

 above recommended, should be provided, or one of wood or cement. The latter is easily 

 made and does not require the service of a mason, as many suppose. In any case, the 

 floor of the hennery should be raised considerably above the level of the ground surround 

 ing the fowl house. This is very important, otherwise the water after the rains and melt 

 ing snows, will work its way in upon the floor, making it wet and causing bad odors, thus 

 inviting roup and other diseases. If the building has no eave-trough and conductors, a ditch 

 should be constructed around it to carry off the water. 



Where boards are used for flooring in the poultry house, it should be thickly strewn 

 with sand, ashes, road dust, saw dust, or other dry, absorbing material, whicK should be 

 frequently cleaned off and renewed, in order to keep the surroundings as clean as possible. 

 Always make ample provisions for an abundance of sunlight in the hennery; it will render 

 the quarters much more healthful, and add much to the warmth in winter. Provide large 

 dusting boxes, at all seasons, where the hens can have plenty of room to fill their feathers 

 with dust. This will aid greatly in keeping parasites off; besides it is one of the methods by 

 which the feathers are kept clean. Road dust, clean, dry soil, or ashes, are excellent for this 

 purpose. 



We give in this connection, cuts of several poultry houses, of different styles and sizes, 

 adapted to the raising of a large or small number of fowls, from which many valuable hints 

 and suggestions may be obtained by those desiring to construct a hennery. 



