220 LIVESTOCK ON THE FAKM 



is supposed to combine the good features of both. The semi- 

 monitor style is commonly used on houses that are extra wide 

 and where a central alleyway with pens on each side is desired. 

 The upper windows light the rear pens and the lower the front 

 pens. 



Ceiling. It is seldom desirable to ceil the roof of a poultry 

 house because of the extra cost entailed. This is especially 

 true of the shed-type house. However, in building the gable or 

 combination roof it is necessary to use tee beams to strengthen 

 it. In this case unless the ceiling is boarded the fowls are 

 apt to use these beams for roosting. When straw is stored in 

 the attic for the purpose of keeping the house dry it can be 

 made much more effective if the ceiling boards are spaced an 

 inch or two apart to permit the moisture-laden air to circulate 

 freely through the straw. 



The Windows. A safe rule to go by when planning the 

 windows in the house is to allow about 1 square foot of glass to 

 every 16 square feet of floor space. Too much glass makes a 

 house cold at night and too hot during the day. The position 

 of the windows is very important; they should be high and 

 placed up and down, rather than horizontally and low. They 

 should be placed high enough so that on the shortest day of the 

 year the sun will shine well up on the north wall. This will 

 insure a plentiful supply of sunshine for the fowls during the 

 time they are confined to their pens on account of winter 

 weather. 



Ventilation. Most poultry houses when properly built do 

 not need ventilators. The large amount of air space in a 

 poultry house makes the systematic change of air so uncertain 

 and unsatisfactory that many experienced poultrymen who 

 once used so-called scientifically planned ventilating systems 

 have gone back to the use of the windows. The amount of 

 fresh air being regulated by opening or closing the windows 

 according to the temperature outside. On cold stormy days 

 or nights coarse muslin or burlap is placed over the open space 

 in the windows to prevent drafts and also the snow from 

 coming in. During warm weather sufficient ventilation can be 

 obtained by removing the windows. 



The Roosts. The roosts should be placed well away from 



