14 l»Ol'LTKV DISKASKS AM) TIlKlk TRKATXi'XT. 



B. Fresh Air and Liyht. — Toci groat stress cannot be laid on 

 the importance of plenty of fresh air in the poultry house if the 

 birds are to keep in good condition. And it must be renum- 

 bered in this connection that "fresli" air, and cold stagnant an- 

 are two \ery different things. Too man\- of the types of curtain 

 front and so-called "fresh air" houses now in use are without 

 any provision other than an oljliging southerly wind, to insure tlu- 

 circulation or changing of air within the house. Even with an 

 open front house it is wise to ])r(>\iile fur a circulation of air 

 in such way that direct drafts cannot strike the Ijirds. Thi^ 

 applies not only to the housing of adult birds in laying houses, 

 but also to the case of young stock in colony houses on the 

 range.* Further a circulation of fresh air under the hover in 

 artificial rearing is greatly to be desired and will have a marked 

 effect on the health and vigor of the chicks. 



Not only should tlie ])oultry house be such as to furnish plenty 

 of fresli air. l)ut it should also 1)0 ligJit. The prime importance 

 of sunlight in sanitation is universally recognized Ijy medical 

 authorities. Disease germs cannot stand prolonged exposure to 

 the direct rays of the sun. Sunlight is X^ature's great disin- 

 fectant. Its importance is no less in poultry than in human sani- 

 tation. The following statement made some years ago (1904) 

 by a writer signing himself "^1" in Farm Poultry (Vol. 15) 

 brings home in a few words the importance of having plenty of 

 light in the j)Oullry house. 



"Light in the poultry house has boon found by a writer a 

 great Jiclp in keeping the liouse clean and keeping the fowls 

 healthy. Probably there is no greater assistance to the diseases 

 of poultry than dark and damp liousos. and dark houses are 

 frequently damp. In recent years I have had both, kinds of ex- 

 perience, those with the hens confined in a large, dry and li;4lit 

 house, and with hens confined in a dark house in which a sin- 

 gle window^ looking towards the setting sun furnished the only 

 light. Peing forced to use the latter building for an entire 

 winter I fi lund it impossible to get it thoroughly dried out after 

 a rain had rendered the walls damp. Py spring some of the 

 fowls that had been confined there began to die of a mysterious 



*See in this connection the modification of the i\Iaine Station colony 

 house to insure circulation of air, as given in U. S. Dept. Agr. Farm- 

 ers' Bulletin 357. 



