AMERICAN POULTRY CULTURE 



is often the only place where they may have this 

 desire fulfilled. However, under certain condi- 

 tions earth floors may become an abomination. 

 If the house is poorly located in a damp spot, or 

 the climate is such that heavy rains are frequent, 

 then it is best to have a cement or board floor 

 in the poultry house, as they will not conduct 

 dampness so readily as earth, and dryness is a 

 cardinal essential in every well-constructed poultry 

 house. Then again, in case of disease, an earth 

 floor is likely to become contaminated and the 

 entire flock may become infected thereby, or the 

 disease germs may lurk in the building for years; 

 but a cement floor is very sanitary, as it may be 

 thoroughly cleaned, scrubbed and disinfected. 

 Cement floors are not chilly or hard on the fowls' 

 feet, providing the floor is kept well covered with 

 litter. 



How to Combat Rats. If rats are bothersome, 

 they may cause serious loss, and in such cases 

 cement floors are the easiest and safest way out of 

 the difficulty. Where earth or board floors are 

 used, place fine-mes'h galvanized wire nettings on 

 the ground, thoroughly covering the space enclosed 

 by the house foundation, before the floor is put in. 

 If earth, this latter should consist of four inches of 

 dirt in the bottom and about the same amount of 

 sand and gravel on top, making the house floor at 

 least half a foot higher than the outside earth in 

 order to avoid dampness. 



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