118 PRINCIPLES OF POULTRY-HOUSE CONSTRUCTION 

 Excavate thejgoiMnside of the house to a depth of 



inchesUelow the top of the foundation wall, place a layer of crushed 

 Istone, cinders, or coarse gravel about eight inches thick over the 

 bottom, jamping thoroughly and leaving it level. Over this place 

 a rough coat of concrete about three inches thick, made by mixing 

 part ot good cement with three parts of fine sharp sancTancl 



five parts of coarse gravel or cinders. Put one thickness of tarred 

 building paper over the rough coat while fresh, lapping and cement- 

 ing the~seams, nailing it down every two feet with roofing nails, 

 letting the heads stick out about a quarter of an inch to holcTTne* 

 jjmsh_coat! One inch of finish coat should be laid over the paper? 

 Thisis composed of one part of cement to three parts of coarse sand. 



Material for Framing. The frame should Be built bi'"material 

 large enough to give rigidity to the building, and yet not so heavy 

 asgreatly^to increase the cost. For a laving house twenty feet or 

 less in width, 2x6 inch lumber doubled should be used for sills, 

 firmly bolted to the foundation. Hemlock, yellow pine, chestnut, 

 or other material of equal grade may be used. The lumber used 

 depends upon the kind which is the cheapest in the vicinity^. For 

 studding us? 2"x 4 inch pieces, and double these for corner posts. 

 The plates are best constructed of 2 x 4 inch material doubled, 

 spiking them together and breaking joints. One great advantage 

 of double sills and plates is the possibility of strengthening weak 

 places and of correcting any crooked or warped timbers that might 

 be used. For rafters use 2x6 inch material for anything greater 

 than ten-foot spaps, 2x4 inch being sufficiently strong for any- 

 thing under that length. For a purlin or girder in a/ wide house 

 2x6 inch material is used. For all light partitions 2x3 inch 

 material is heavy enough, and this may be laid flat. The rafters 

 and studding should be placed not more than two feet apart, 

 better, sixteen inches. If the outside boards run up and down, the 

 studding may be six feet apart, with 2x4 inch intermediates 

 parallel with the sill (Fig. 84). 



Walls and Partitions. A necessary feature in the construction^ 

 of walls is to have them tight, to eliminate the danger of drafts. 

 One of the best materials which can be used is tongue^and-groove 

 boards, securely driven together. It is not well to use boards 

 greater than eight inches in width, as they are apt to warp, and 

 when they dry out leave open spaces. If siding boards are used, 

 the lap or " novelty " siding makes tight walls, leaving; a smooth"" 

 inside waff! rf shingles are used on the outside of the walls, a 



