CHAPTER VII 



BUILDINGS: INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS AND YARDS 



Perches. While the construction of the perches 

 is perhaps of less importance than many other 

 details of a well-equiped poultry house, yet one 

 should be able to give a reason for constructing 

 each part of the house in a particular way, and 

 it will be necessary to give considerable thought 

 to the planning and arrangement of minor features. 

 In the construction of perches two objects should 

 be kept in mind: (1) The perches should be con- 

 venient for the fowls and (2) so arranged that the 

 droppings may be readily caught without falling 

 to the floor or soiling the litter. For heavy-bodied 

 fowls the perches should not be more than two and 

 one-half or three feet from the floor, and all should 

 be of the same height. Many fowls prefer to perch 

 far above the ground in order, without doubt, to 

 be more secure from their enemies. It may be 

 accepted as natural for fowls to perch at a 

 considerable distance from the ground in order 

 that they may be better protected from skunks, 

 minks, foxes, etc. In the poultry house, from which 

 these enemies are excluded, however, low perches 



(123) 



