176 POULTRY BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT 



cold weather there will be necessarily a more rapid ex- 

 change of air than in warm weather. Likewise high winds 

 will decrease the amount bv causing a greater circulation 

 of air. 



Methods of Ventilation. Elaborate ventilation systems 

 are not called for in poultry house construction. Usually 

 the cost of such systems precludes their use by the practical 

 poultry-keeper. For the larger portion of the United 

 States the best condition of ventilation will be secured 

 by leaving one side or one end of the house open. 



Open-Front House. In sections where the temperature 

 gets no lower than zero the open-front furnishes the best 

 method of ventilation. This much is beyond controversy. 

 By open front is here meant a house with one side en- 

 tirely open where the fowls roost practically in the open 

 air. There is, however, a problem as to how low a tem- 

 perature fowls will stand and maintain a satisfactory egg 

 production. Ordinarily zero temperatures will not injure 

 their health, because fowls roost in the trees all winter 

 and maintain good health and vigor, but when the tem- 

 perature reaches a certain degree of cold, egg production 

 will be cut off. It is a question of the happy medium, and 

 there is a lack of definite information as to the lowest 

 temperature in the open-front house at which fowls may 

 be profitably kept. 



Fowls, however, that roost continuously in a cold house 

 become hardy and stand low temperatures better than 

 those that have been accustomed to warm quarters. Fresh 

 air furnishes the necessary oxygen to keep up the heat of 

 the body. The more pure air in the roosting room the 

 better will the fowls be able to stand the cold. It may 

 further be said that this method of ventilation will be 

 better in any section, north or south; will give better re- 

 sults both in egg production and in health of fowls, than 



