68 FIRST LESSONS IN POULTRY KEEPING. 



It happens this way : When we cut each 16 ft. piece in two, giving us the four pieces for 

 the sills, and put them together, nailing the side sills, which we call b b to the end sills, a a, 

 we have our sill frame 4 in. longer one way than the other. To get the same dimensions both 

 ways we would have to cut the pair of sill pieces to which the other pair is nailed 4 inches 

 shorter. The difference is comparatively insignificant, but in building poultry houses, coops, 

 nests, etc., I have always tried to follow the principle of taking advantage of little points like 

 this whenever the lumber allowed. There is a slight gain in room, and also a slight increase 

 in cost. The gain in room may not, in every case, be proportionate to the increase in cost, but 

 in general I think the rule will be found a good one. 



The sill frame should be nailed together with large spikes, the pieces being set on edge, not 

 laid flat. Nail each corner with one nail first, then square up the frame, using a steel square at 

 the corners and bracing pieces in position with temporary brace across each corner as indicated 

 by the dotted piece. 



c* 



If your lumber is not perfectly straight and true you may find it difficult to get the frame 

 square. In that case measure 6 ft. from any corner along one side, then take a 10 foot straight 

 pole, or strip of furring, and measure from this point to a point 8 ft. from the same corner on 

 the adjoining side. To have your angle a true right angle, the point 6 ft. from the angle on one 

 side must be just 10 ft. from the points ft. from the corner on the adjoining side, your 10 ft. 

 measure forming the hypothenuse of a right angle triangle. 



Have your sill frame approximately square, (a very slight variation due to crooked lumber is 

 not material) then ua!l the corners firmly and the braces fast. 



Now put the sill frame in just the position it is to occupy, level it up and block it solidly in 

 position. If it is on uneven ground, and to put the whole floor above the level of the highest 

 point would make too much filling, dig out the higher side and part way across the ends as 

 much as seems advisable, making the resting place for the sills level, then block up on the lower 

 side. 



We are ready now to begin on one side. First nail to the sills the two end boards c c, 4 ft. 

 long, letting them project 1 in. beyond the corner to come flush with the face of the end boards 

 d d when they are put on. For these as well as for the corner boards on the ends of the house 

 select good, clear strong boards. Be sure your boards c c are perpendicular to the sill to which 

 they are nailed, and then put short braces n n to hold them perpendicular to the end sills. 



Now put the plate p in position, the upper side of the plate being about half an inch above 

 the end of the boards c c, to allow the first board of the roof to project over the side, and nail 

 the upper ends of the boards c c to it. The piece o may also be put on now, its exact position 

 to be determined by the height of the window. In my house this piece was about 6 ft. long, 

 only its use in connection with the* window being considered, but when I came to put in the 

 roost I found that the use of a short piece was a mistake. Make the piece o the length of the 

 side of the house; your sash will then rest, and slide on it, and the ends of the roosts can also 

 rest on o o. 



Nail on the board which comes next the window about the middle of the side, taking care to 

 have the plate p and the stringer o in correct position. The tendency will be for both to sag a 

 little in the middle. Use the level and keep them true. The distance from this board to the 

 board at the front corner is the width of the window opening, and should be an inch and a half 

 less than the width of sash. Put the other side up the same way. 



Now the building is ready for the rafters, of which but three pair are required, one at each 

 end and one half way between. To cut these nail a short strip of board x x at right angles to 

 a longer strip of board y y, as at D in the illustration. Make a line through the middle of the 

 short board x x to a point 3 ft. from the edge of y y. This gives the position of the apex of 

 the roof. Now from the point where the line x x meets the edge of the board y y measure in 

 each direction one half the length of the end of the house. In my house this Is 4 ft. 2 in. In a 

 house just 8 ft. square it would be 4 ft. 



Now take a piece of 2 x 3 and lay It on your pattern so that one end and edge come at x, and 

 the same edge crosses the board y y at g; and with a straight edge mark the lines x x and y y 

 on the rafter. Saw on these lines and you have a correct pattern if your measurements are 



