282 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



4. Open-Front House. The partial open-front house is granted first 

 place as the best for most sections. (See illustration.) 



5. Colony Plan. The colony plan is very good for many farms as it does 

 away with the danger of tainted soils. (See illustration.) 



6. Roosts. Roosts should be built on the same level, two feet six inches 

 from the floor with a dropping board eight inches below them. 



7. Material for Roosts. Good roosts may be made of 2 x 2 inch material. 



8. iNests. Nests may be placed on the side walls under the dropping 

 boards. 



9. Darkened Nests. It is best to have the nests darkened. Hens pre- 

 fer a secluded place to lay. 



10. Cracks and Crevices. No cracks and crevices should be left for ver- 

 min. 



11. Rats. Prevent them from getting in by sinking a wire netting all 

 around the poultry house Dig a foot ditch around the house and line the 

 inside bank with wire netting, one inch mesh, one foot wide, and replace the 

 earth. The wire should be wide enough to reach one foot below the lower 

 edge of the wall if the house stands off the ground. The use of a brick, stone 

 or cement foundation sunk one foot into the ground will prevent rats from 

 getting in when an earthen floor is used. 



12. Earthen Floor. If the location is dry an earthen floor is better than 

 any other. 



13. Board Floor. A board floor is better than an earthen one if the lo- 

 cation is damp. If used, build high enough to permit the air to freely cir- 

 culate beneath. 



14. Walls. Use a double wall on the north and west sides if the climate 

 is severe. 



Points on Cleaning a Poultry House. 



Not every poultryman of experience even, knows how to really clean a 

 poultry house. The first thing to do is to remove all the litter and loose 

 dirt which can be shoveled out. Then give the floor, walls and ceiling a 

 thorough sweeping and shovel out the accumulated debris. Next play a garden 

 hose, with the maximum water pressure which can be obtained, upon floor, 

 roosting boards, walls and ceiling, until all the dirt which can be washed down 

 easily is disposed of. Then take a heavy hoe or roost-board scraper and 

 proceed to scrape the floor and roosting boards clean of the trampled and 

 caked dressing and dirt. Shovel out what has been accumulated and get 

 the hose into action once more and wash the whole place down again 

 thoroughly and follow this with another scraping. 



Next, with a stiff-bristled broom thoroughly scrub walls, floors, nest 

 boxes, roost boards, etc. After another rinsing down and cleaning out of ac- 



