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Range raised stock, other things being equal, is more vig- 

 orous and sturdy than stock raised in confinement. With a 

 portable house, the chicks may be given the run of the corn 

 field or the orchard and two crops raised on the same ground. 



The portable house differs from the ordinary hen house only 

 in two particulars. It is usually smaller. It is placed on sills 

 which act as runners. If it is to be hauled down the orchard 

 rows without interfering with the tree limbs, it should have a 

 combination or gable roof. A team can haul it to any part of 

 the farm where the ground is reasonably level. 



ECONOMY. 



An essential of any building used for making money is 

 economy. The hen house should be no larger than is necessary 

 and of such a shape that there will be the most floor space for 

 a given length of wall. There should be 5 square feet of floor 

 space allowed for each bird if good results are looked for. 



If we build poultry houses on the basis of allowing a cubic 

 foot of air space per pound live weight as we do barns, a 5 

 pound hen with 5 square feet of floor space allotted to her 

 would have a house but one foot high. In order to have head 

 room for working, however, it is necessary to make the house 

 a great deal higher. Just how high depends on the preference 

 of the owner. 



For practical purposes, the square pen gives the most floor 

 space for a given length of foundation wall. The round pen 

 gives the most floor space but increased cost of construction 

 and the irregular yards resulting overbalance this advantage. 



PLANS. 



Any poultry house which is built along the lines suggested 

 above ought to be a good house. Detail plans, however, are 

 furnished in the following pages for three different styles of 

 construction which have been tried at the Iowa Agricultural 

 Experiment station and found to be eminently successful. The 

 authors do not wish to claim originality for the designs sub- 

 mitted, as ideas have been gathered from many sources.* 



These designs offer a considerable range of choice. It is not 

 essential that they be followed absolutely, yet an attempt has 

 been made to furnish definite and detailed plans and instruc- 

 tions to those who desire such explicit information. In addi- 

 tion to the regular design, some modifications of shape and 

 materials are suggested. 



*It is desired to make particular mention of the assistance secured from the 

 work of Professor H. C. Pierce, formerly in charge of Poultry Husbandry at Iowa 

 Agricultural Experiment Station. 



