Modern Squabhouse Construction 



mi F. A^rthur Hazard 



GOOD birds deserve good homes, 

 - and to do their best work they 

 must be comfortably housed. 

 The house shown in the illustrations is 

 known as the "unit" squab house. For 

 instance, if a man has but a few birds, 

 pen No. I will be built. As soon as there 

 has been saved a goodly number of 

 youngsters from the best pairs, pen No. 2 

 will be constructed, and so on until there 

 have been built as many units as are 

 deemed necessary. The size of each pen 

 is 10 ft. long and 8 ft. wide with a 3-ft. 

 passageway in the rear, which makes 

 the total depth of the house 12 ft. 



In the construction the use of brick 

 piers is recommended, as they will last 

 a life time; but sound cedar posts 12 in. 

 square may be used instead. If cedar 

 posts are used their lower ends should 

 be buried in the ground to a depth of 

 3 or 4 ft. Upon these piers are placed 

 the 6-in. square sill. The joists are 

 pieces 8 in. wide and 2 in. thick placed 

 on the sills 24 in. apart between centers. 

 As soon as the sills and joists are laid, 

 the floor should be put down. The sub- 

 floor should be laid diagonally, as in 

 laying that of a house; then upon it is 

 stretched a very fine mesh screen of 

 galvanized poultry wire. This serves 

 as an excellent protection against ro- 

 dents. The top floor is laid upon this 

 wire. Culled roofing boards or sheathing 

 may be used for both floors, unless a 

 better grade of lumber is preferred. 



The outside studs are all 8 ft. long 

 and by ordering them in i6-ft. lengths 



there will be less waste of material. The 

 rafters are all cut from 8-ft. pieces. The 

 plates are studs laid double. Another 

 stud is placed on the floor under the 

 ends of the outside studs to give a 

 better bearing surface. The studs and 

 rafters are both placed 24 ins. on centers. 

 The roof is first covered with culled 

 boards placed diagonally on the rafters; 

 then these are covered with a. good 

 grade of prepared roofing. It is not 

 best to put on an inferior grade, such 

 as three-ply tar paper, as this will only 

 last 8 or 10 months. No part of the 

 building will need repairing as often as 

 the roof. Thin beveled siding is recom- 

 mended for ease in working and the 

 neat appearance of the finished job. 

 Sheathing should be placed on the studs 

 on the inside. If a good, warm house is 

 desired, place sheathing under the siding 

 also and fill the space between them 

 and the plates with cinders. 



The windows are stock sizes, which 

 are not very expensive. These are 

 hinged at the top on the inside and they 

 swing up and in. By means of cords 

 and pulleys they can be operated very 

 easily from the passageway. This elimi- 

 nates having to go into the pen on cold 

 nights to shut down the windows, and 

 possibly scaring the birds. In each 

 gable is placed a louvre ventilator, the 

 back of which is covered with No. i 

 wire mesh to keep out sparrows and 

 other small birds. These louvres will 

 ventilate the building at all times. 



The nests shown are double, each 



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