94 



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it is necessary to use tie beams when the roof construction is very heavy 

 or low-pitched, and these tie beams, unless covered, are used as roosting 

 places by all flying varieties of fowls. By ceiling such pens the fowls 

 not only are kept from roosting above, but the air space is materially 

 reduced and the chamber above aids materially in keeping the house 

 warmer in winter and colder in summer provided there is a circulation 

 of air and not a dead-air space above the ceiling both equally important. 

 Trap doors in the ceiling and ends can be opened to remove the air in 

 the pens. A loose ceiling covered with straw permits a quiet escape of 

 the moisture-laden air upward to the roof where the moisture escapes 

 when the doors at the ends of the house are opened during the day. 

 Generally, however, simplicity in construction, ease of operation and first 

 cost are all in favor of avoiding high houses with large air space, and do 

 not favor ceiling the house. 



Partitions 



The partition walls of a long house of the open-front type should be 

 solid to prevent draughts. This is especially essential in the back part 

 of the partition wall where the fowls are roosting. The construction 

 can be made either of solid boards, or boards for 2^ feet up from the 

 floor with heavy cloth the remaining distance. The cloth makes the 

 building cheaper, but is less durable and collects dust. The doors in 

 the partitions should be arranged to form a straightaway path through 

 the entire house and should be located in the most convenient entrance 

 to the pen, having regard to head room and convenience in cleaning, 

 feeding, gathering eggs, etc. For greatest ease, especially when trolleys 

 are used, heavy double-acting hinges are advocated on single doors. 



The windows 



Windows are valuable in a poultry house in so far as they permit 

 the sunlight to reach the interior of the house to carry good cheer and 

 destroy disease. They should be so placed that there is the least danger 

 of breakage and greatest ease of opening and closing. Sunlight is neces- 

 sary to fowls. But too much glass makes a house too cold at night and 

 too warm during the daytime, because glass radiates heat at night as 

 readily as it collects it in the daytime. Much glass makes construction 

 expensive. We may allow one square foot of glass surface to about 

 16 square feet of floor area if the windows are properly placed. The 

 windows should be high and placed up and down rather than horizon- 

 tally and low (Figs. 58, 61, 64). In the former arrangement the sunlight 



