ESSENTIAL FEATURES 



109 



the experience of the poultryman caring for them. Under general 

 conditions it is safest for the amateur or for the one with little 

 experience not to crowd the birds too closely, — about one bird to 

 every four and a half or five square feet of floor space. The expert 

 who thoroughly understands the needs and methods of sanitation 

 can successfully keep as high as one bird to every two and one-half 

 or three square feet of floor space. A desirable area for birds 

 under close confinement during the winter months, when a heavy 

 egg yield is desirable, is approximately four square feet per bird. 



Fig. 67. — An efficient rear ventilator for summer use. It allows the air to enter the 

 back of the house, and circulate between the sheathing and the roof, pooling the roosting 

 quarters on summer nights. This is most valuable for shed-roofed houses that are covered 

 with paper. Cornell University was the first Experiment Station to recommend back 

 ventilation for the poultry house. 



Excessive Heat and CoW.— Protect the birds from cold, but do 

 not keep them too hot. Birds will stand a great degree of cold; 

 they do better in cold quiet air than in warmer drafty air. This 

 latter condition is generally the starting point of colds which may 

 develop into forms of roup, quickly putting the birds out of laying 

 condition. The house should be so constructed that at any time 

 the temperature will never get low enough to freeze the combs. 

 This condition will vary with (1) the breed kept, (2) the vitality 

 of the birds, (3) the scratching or other exercise, and (4) the amount 

 of moisture in the house. 



Large-comb breeds must be given better protection and warmer 



