12 



FARMERS BULLETIN 574. 



walls, 6 to 10 inches above the dropping boards, while the latter are 

 from 2 to 24 feet above the floor. They should all be on the same 

 level, otherwise the birds will crowd and fight to get on the highest 

 roost. Scantling 2 by 3 inches or 2 by 4 inches, with the upper edges 

 rounded off, makes good roosts with either the wide or narrow sur- 

 face up. Allow 7 to 10 inches of roost space per fowl, according to 

 the size of the birds. Roosts should be placed about 1 5 inches apart, 

 but the outside ones may be within 10 inches of the edge of the drop- 

 ping boards. 



Nests may be placed under the dropping boards, on the partition 

 walls, or in any convenient place where they do not take up floor space, 



Fi G . 9. Interior of pen in laying house used at Government Poultry Farm. 



and nests. 



Roosts, dropping board, 



and should be arranged so that the birds can get into them easily. 

 They should be 12 to 14 inches square and 12 to 16 inches high, with 

 a strip about 4 inches high on the open side to retain the nesting ma- 

 terial. Provide one nest for every four or five hens. Trap nests are 

 essential in any careful breeding work, such as pedigree breeding, 

 or the breeding of exhibition poultry. 



KINDS OF MATERIAL USED FOR BUILDING. 



Houses made entirely of solid concrete are cold and damp, but 

 concrete blocks may be used with good results. Hollow tile makes a 

 very good poultry house, and it can be bought in some sections at a 

 price which compares favorably, considering its durability, with wood. 

 This construction is well adapted to incubator cellars and brooder 

 houses, or to any buildings requiring double walls and good insulation. 



