POULTRY KEEPING 587 



For the greatest amount of floor space for the least cost, a build- 

 ing should be square, for, other things being equal, the nearer square 

 a house is the less lumber it will take. It is, however, out of the 

 question to have a large house built square. The building should not 

 be so wide that the sun can not reach the back of the house, otherwise 

 it will be damp. Fourteen feet is a convenient width if there are no 

 alleyways. The house should be built as low as possible without 

 danger of the attendants bumping their heads against the ceiling. 

 A low house is more easily warmed than a high one. 



The two most common plans of building are what are known 

 as the scratching shed plan and the continuous long house. The 

 scratching shed plan is to build a small roosting and laying room 

 and connected with it, a room somewhat larger with an open front 

 facing the south. The floor of this room is covered with straw for 

 the hens to exercise in during the day time. The open front is cov- 

 ered with wire netting to confine the birds. It is also fitted with cloth 

 covered frames hinged at the top to be closed during stormy weather. 

 The object of this plan is to furnish the fowls with fresh air and exer- 

 cise in a natural way, with a warm place in which to sleep at night. 

 The continuous closed front house with a shed roof sloping to the 

 rear, and fitted with windows enough in front to furnish sufficient 

 light for the fowls is a common style. (Minn. B. 91.) 



Foundation Walls. When permanent houses are to be built it 

 is usually most economical to erect them on foundations made of 

 brick, stone, or concrete. These should be built deep enough to pre- 

 vent heaving by frost and high enough to prevent surface water 

 from entering. Where large stones or bricks are not readily avail- 

 able good walls may be made from small stones. In case none of 

 these foundation materials is available the building may be erected 

 on posts. 



The Hoof. There are three general styles of roofs the single 

 pitch, the gable roof, or double pitch with equal sides, and the com- 

 bination, with one long and one short pitch. 



The single-pitch roof is the easiest to build. It gives the highest 

 vertical front exposed to the sun's rays and throws all the rain water 

 to the rear; but in order to have the back wall of sufficient height to 

 allow a pei-son to work conveniently in the rear portion of the house 

 it is necessary to have the front wall very high unless a very slight 

 pitch is used which requires much more lumber for the front side 

 than in the case of the other two styles. The gable roof provides for 

 a garret space, which may be filled with straw, thus helping to make 

 the house warm and dry. 



Most roofs can be one-fourth pitch. Shingle roofs, however, 

 should generally be one-third pitch. In any case the steeper the 

 pitch the greater will be the cost of roofing and the longer the roof 

 will last. 



There are several prepared roofing materials which are good, or 

 the roof may consist of matched lumber or shingles. 



Style of Roof. The most suitable style of roof depends entirely 

 upon the type of house. The commonest form used is the shed roof, 



