PO UL TR T- CRAFT. 53 



CHAPTER IV. 



Poultry Fixtures. 



51 . Roosts. The reader will have noticed in the plans where the height 

 of the roost is indicated the roosts are placed low down ; he will also have 

 observed that when more than one roost is used the roosts are on the same 

 level. There are several reasons for low roosts. Fowls of the heavy breeds 

 cannot fly to a high roost. Fowls of all but the lightest breeds often injure 

 their feet by jumping from a high roost to a hard floor. When droppings 

 boards are used they should be tolerably low down, both for convenience in 

 cleaning, and that the least possible portion of dust from them may be 

 breathed in by the person doing the work. The roost being but a few inches 

 above the board, low roosts are most common, even for Leghorns and 

 Minorcas. The object of having all roosts on the same level is to prevent 

 fowls crowding one another from the roosts, as they do when the roosts are 

 on different levels, and the fowls all trying to get on the highest. The 

 amount of roost room per fowl varies with the size of the fowl. As a rule, 

 fowls sit close together on the roosts, even in hot weather, and when there is 

 room to spare. For Leghorns 6 to 7 in., for Wyandottes and Plymouth 

 Rocks 7 to 9 in., for Brahmas and Cochins 8 to 10 in., will be safe estimates. 

 The roosts should be about 8 in. from the droppings board, and, unless it 

 extends clear across a pen, should be a little shorter than the board. Some 

 use 2 x 2 in. scantling for roosts, others prefer wider stuff, especially for 

 heavy fowls. For short wide roosts, inch stuff 4 or 5 in. wide will do. For 

 long roosts, stuff must be thicker, or the weight of the fowls causes it to sag 

 in the middle. The upper edges of the roost should be slightly rounded. 



52. Droppings Boards. These may be of matched flooring, or of 

 sheathing surfaced on one side. Strips of furring 2 in. wide are generally 

 nailed to the edges of the board to prevent the droppings being scattered. 

 For a single roost, the board should be 18 or 20 in. wide ; for two roosts, 

 about 3 ft. wide. Droppings boards are a great convenience in a well kept 

 house. A neglected house is better without them. If droppings are allowed 

 to accumulate, the boards become saturated with liquid manure, and being so 

 close under the fowls, make bad conditions worse. 



53. Nests. On some of the best equipped plants the nests in the laying 

 pens are soap boxes placed on the floor in the corner. These answer admir- 



