16 



MRS. BASLEY'S WESTERN POULTRY BOOK 



The Two-Story House 



Among the hen houses, or chicken coops, as some people prefer 

 to call them, that are being used very satisfactorily west of the 

 Rockies, must be mentioned the two-story houses. These are 

 especially adapted to the "intensive" method of poultry culture, and 

 for limited space. 



In conclusion, to quote Mr. Harker, "If every poultry keeper 

 on the Pacific Coast would make his roosting houses absolutely 

 draught proof on three sides, yet leaving the front entirely open 

 so that the fowls have an abundance of pure air, yet not to be 

 exposed to a draught, the manufacturers of roup remedies would 

 have to go out of business, for this disease would then be com- 

 paratively unknown from Seattle to San Diego." 



W. G. SUITS' GROUND PLAN OF DOUBLE HOUSES, BANDINI RANCH, RIVERSIDE, CAI,. 



Painting the Houses 



For painting the houses I have found nothing better than the 

 crude" petroleum. I add to it for all my houses, red Venetian paint, 

 mixed with a little kerosene or distillate oil to thin it. This colors 

 them a handsome chocolate. Creosote stain of a dark green is also 

 a very good color, harmonizing well with the landscape, and both 

 of these are preventive of mites and keep their color well for several 

 years. A good whitewash also is quite suitable. 



A cheap green stain is made of six pounds of yellow ochre mixed 

 with one gallon of kerosene, adding lamp black until it is of the de- 

 sired shade of green. I think that mixing the yellow ochre with 

 the crude petroleum which you can get at the oil wells, without us- 

 ing the lampblack, would make a very desirable green, but I have 

 not tried it. Another good green can be made by mixing chrome 

 green (dry) with one gallon of linseed oil, four gallons kerosene, 

 and one gallon of water. The color is a matter of taste after all, 

 and I am only describing the inexpensive methods successfully used. 



Here is a recipe for whitewash which is unrivaled. It will stand 

 the wear and tear of the elements for a long time. Anyone by 

 adopting the following formula cannot help attaining success : 



Into a tight box or barrel put five or six gallons of hot water 



