POULTRY HOUSE CONSTRUCTION. 5 



house should never be placed in a low, damp spot where early 

 fall frosts are likely to occur. These places are always cold 

 find unhealthy for fowls. 



Build the house on ground that slopes to the south if pos- 

 sible. If this can not be done, always face the house toward 

 the south so as to get the sun's rays throughout the day in 

 winter to keep it bright inside. Where it is necessary to build 

 i house in a windy place, trees can often be planted to break 

 the wind. Small shrubs are also a great help and can be planted 

 in such a way that they afford shelter to the house during the 

 fall and spring when the winds are violent. Hens enjoy lying 

 in the sun especially during the windy days after the leaves fall 

 from the trees. The orchard can often be chosen as the site for 

 the hen house and the hens allowed to run under the trees 

 throughout the year. 



Poultry houses should be convenient to other buildings, and 

 yet, not so close that the hens constantly infest the other build- 

 ings. If the poultry house is too close to the barns, the hens 

 are likely to get in the habit of roosting in the barn, cow stable, 

 tool shed, etc. 



COLONY HOUSE SYSTEM 



The colony house system consists of having one flock or one 

 colony in one building. Colony houses are of two types, the 

 portable and non-portable. The portable type of colony house 

 lias many advantages, especially for growing young stock. The 

 usual method is to nail them on runners and then have a team 

 draw them from place to place as wished. This type of house 

 saves much feed which has been wasted in the fields. You may 

 draw the house into the grain field after the crop has been 

 harvested, and then, after the oats is cut, the house and chickens 

 can be moved into the oat field, etc. In this way, stock is al- 

 ways kept on clean ground and gets more insects than would 

 be possible when kept around the farm buildings. In some 

 years, especially when grasshoppers are abundant, poultry out 

 in the field will pick their living and at the same time rid the 

 farm of troublesome insects. 



With this system of housing there is, of course, much more 

 clanger from thieves. In some localities, it would be found 

 necessary to protect the windows and doors with iron bars while 

 in other localities stock would be perfectly safe. A good watch 



