382 



FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABKIDGED 





A constant supply of fresh, clean water is an essential for all classes 

 of poultry. The watering arrangement should be so constructed that 

 the birds will not roost upon it and foul the water with their drop-' 

 pings, and should be high enough to prevent litter being scratched 



into it. For chicks a vacuum foun- 

 tain is desirable. The simplest 

 form of such a fountain is simply 

 a jar filled with water and inverted 

 on a pan of water. As the chicks 

 drink the water from the pan, air 

 enters the jar and water flows out 

 into the pan until the water level 

 rises. 



Charcoal and condiments. — A 

 supply of charcoal, sold on the mar- 

 ket as granulated charcoal, should 

 be kept before poultry as it acts as 

 a regulator of the digestive tract. 

 The use of such condiments as pep- 

 per, ginger, and mustard is not to 

 be recommended for poultry. 



Shelter. — There is no need of 

 building an elaborate, expensive 

 house for poultry, but to be healthy 

 and profitable the farm flock needs 

 dry, well-ventilated, well-lighted 

 quarters, free from drafts. Fowls 

 have no sweat glands and suffer 

 from too close and warm quarters 

 even more than do other animals. 

 It is important that the house be easy to disinfect. Hence, all the 

 fixtures — nests, perches, coops for broody hens, feed hoppers, etc. — 

 should be simple and removable. A dropping board below the perches 

 is desirable. So that they will have plenty of room for exercise, at 

 least 4 square feet of flo^r space should be allowed each hen, and 6 to 

 10 inches of roost space, depending on the size of the fowls. Venti- 

 lating systems, such as the King, which depend on the difference in 

 weight between heated and cold air, do not work well in poultry houses, 

 because there is too much cubic space per 100 lbs. live weight of fowls 

 to warm the air enough. For ventilation, the poultryman must rely 

 on having part of the windows protected only by muslin or by open 

 Klats, or left entirely open as in the ''open front" house. The house 

 should be well-bedded with straw which is renewed when it becomes 



Fig. 109. — Interior of Continu- 

 ous Poultry House at 

 Wisconsin Station 



This house is sunny, well-lighted, 

 well -ventilated, dry, and free from 

 drafts. Note the shelf on which 

 stand water crock and self feeders for 

 grit and dry mash. (From Halpin, 

 Wisconsin Station.) 



