POULTRY HOUSE CONSTRUCTION. 3 



space depends upon the system, on the size of the pens, the weather 

 conditions, and the size of the birds. More birds can be kept on a 

 small floor area under the colony than on the intensive system, where 

 the colony system is used in a mild climate and the hens have free 

 range throughout most of the year. Colony houses holding from 30 

 to 75 hens are about as large as can be easily moved, but larger num- 

 bers may be kept in one flock in a long house. Flocks of from 60 

 to 150 are well adapted to the average conditions for the production 

 of market eggs. Large numbers require less labor, fewer fences, and 

 a lower house cost than small flocks, but there is a greater chance for 



FIG. 1. Colony house used at Government Poultry Farm, Beltsville, Md. 



disease and the individual hen receives less attention. The cost of 

 housing poultry depends upon many conditions, such as price of lum- 

 ber, style of house, amount of floor space allowed per bird, etc. Sub- 

 stantial poultry houses can be built for from 80 cents to $1.60 per 

 head, including labor. The cost of material per head will vary from 

 50 cents to $1. 



ROOF AND FRONT. 



The roof is the most expensive but a most important part of the 

 poultry house, and should be water-tight. Shingle roofs should have 

 a one-third pitch, while those covered with paper or metal may have 

 a less pitch, or be almost flat; however, the greater the slope the 

 longer the life of the roof. Different types of roofs and the compara- 

 tive amount of surface to be covered are illustrated in figure 5. 

 The shed or single-slope roof is adapted to houses up to 16 feet in 



