258 



The Country House 



The Thomas W. Ltwson dovecote, at Egypt. Mass. 

 Coolldge & Carlson, architects 



they do not roost but squat on the ground. Turkeys especially are delicate and 

 require great care, and dampness is fatal to them. The invasion of rats and 



* small preying ani- 



mals should likewise 

 be considered, as 

 \ AJ the trouble and an- 

 noyance from such 

 sources is commonly 

 known. 



With the above 

 consideration in 

 view, it is well that 

 the entire poultry 

 enclosure, including 

 house a n d runs, 

 should have a brick 

 or stone foundation, 

 laid in mortar, 

 which shall com- 

 prise the /ertical 

 sides of an excava- 

 tion some 2 feet 

 deep. The bottom 



of this excavation should be composed of small 

 stones with a top layer of concrete, the whole to 

 have a slight pitch to shed moisture. At intervals in 

 the wall at the lower side of pitch should be placed 

 blind drains of very small stones or pebbles, so that, 

 while the water is allowed to run off, no rodent may 

 work his way through them. The excavation to the 

 runs may be filled with gravel and loam, but that of 

 the house should have clean gravel with a consider- 

 able top layer of clean ashes. 



Roosts for hens, etc., should not be too high, and are best provided with a 

 wooden platform below them. They should be round, amply large, and not too 

 smooth. Turkeys roost perhaps higher than hens. 



Nests for hens and turkeys may be fairly low, yet ofF the ground; those of 

 ducks and geese practically on it. All should be secluded and yet easy of de- 

 tection by the poultry. The hatching house should be separated from the main 

 body of the house to insure quiet. 



Heat can be furnished in sufficient quantities through the medium of a stove 

 placed in the feed room, and the feed room should be centrally located so as to 

 convey thic heat to roosting house, hatching house and scratching pens, without 

 too much complicated mechanism. Naturally the house should face the south, and 

 a steep glass roof extending to the ground will add much to the general comfort 

 of the occupants in winter time. 



Tlough Plan. 



