110 



POULTRY HOUSES AND FIXTURES 



and, therefore, in order to make a satisfactory dilute so- 

 lution, it is necessary first to incorporate the cresol with 

 some substance like soap which will mix with water and 

 will carry the cresol over into the mixture. The com- 

 mercial cresol, as it is obtained, is a corrosive substance, 

 being in this respect not unlike carbolic acid. It should, 

 of course, be handled with great care and the pure 

 cresol should not be allowed to come in contact with the 

 skin. If it does so accidentally, the spot should be im- 

 mediately washed off with plenty of clean water. 



Measure out 3 1-5 quarts of raw linseed oil in a 4 

 or 5-gallon stone crock; then weigh out in a dish 1 Ib. 

 6 oz. of commercial lye or "Babbit's potash." Dissolve 

 this lye in as little water as will completely dissolve it. 

 Start with ^ pint of water, and if this will not dissolve 



PIG. 235 CONCRETE CREMATORY 

 Photo from Maine Experiment Station. 



all the lye, add more water slowly. Let this stand for at 

 least 3 hours until the lye is completely dissolved and 

 the solution is cold; then add the cold lye solution very 

 slowly to the linseed oil, stirring constantly. Not less 

 than 5 minutes should be taken for the adding of this 

 solution of lye to the oil. After the lye is added con- 

 tinue the stirring until the mixture is in the condition 

 and has the texture of a smooth homogeneous liquid 

 soap. This ought not to take more than a half hour. 

 Then while the soap is in this liquid state, and before 

 it has a chance to harden, add, with constant stirring, 

 8*/2 quarts of commercial cresol. The cresol will blend 

 perfectly with the soap solution and make a clear, dark 

 brown fluid. The resulting solution will mix in an> 

 proportion with water and yield a clear solution. 



Cresol soap is an extremely powerful disinfectant. 

 For general disinfecting, such as houses, incubators, 

 nests, and other wood work, it should be used in a 3 per 

 cent solution with water. Two or three tablespoonfuls 

 of the cresol soap to each gallon of water will make a 

 satisfactory solution. This solution may be applied 

 through any kind of spray pump or with a brush. Being 



a clear watery fluid it can be used in spray pumps with- 

 out difficulty. For disinfecting brooders or incubators 

 which there is reason to believe have been particular!} 

 liable to infection with the germs of white diarrhea or 

 other diseases, the cresol may be used in double strength, 

 and applied with a scrub brush in addition to the spray. 



A CREMATORY 



Dispose of All Dead Chicks and Fowls By Burning Them, 

 and Thus Avoid the Spread of Disease. 



By DR. RAYMOND PEARL, * 



On every poultry plant and around every farm there 

 is bound to occur, from time to time, a greater or less 

 number of deaths of chicks and adult fowls from disease 

 or other natural causes. The only really sanitary method 

 of dealing with these dead bodies is 

 to incinerate them. The difficulty 

 of doing this is that the poultryman 

 or farmer usually does not have any 

 suitable source of heat ready at all 

 times. To meet this requirement 

 there has recently been devised the 

 small crematory here described, and 

 illustrated in Fig. 235. This crem- 

 atory consists of a cement base or 

 fire box, bearing on its top a series 

 of grate bars which in turn are cov- 

 ered by a cremating box or oven in 

 which the material to be incinerated 

 is placed. The crematory here de- 

 scribed is large enough to take care 

 of all the needs of a plant carrying; 

 1,000 head of adult stock, raising 

 3000 to 4000 chickens annually and in 

 which a good deal of anatomical and 

 physiological research is going on. 



In building, an excavation was 

 first made for the base, in which a 

 lot of loose stones and 'gravel were 

 placed, in order to secure adequate 

 drainage below the cement. On top 

 of this the cement base and fire box 

 were made. The base consists of a 

 rectangular box made of cement, 

 open at the top and with a small 

 opening in front through which the 

 fire is fed and which serves as a 



draught. The walls are about 6 inches thick. The inside 

 dimensions of fire box being 2 foot 3 inches by 1 foot 

 9*/ 2 inches by 1'foot 4 inches. Across top of fire box there 

 were laid, while the cement was still soft, some old grate 

 bars from a small steam boiler which had been dis- 

 carded. These were set close together and held firmly 

 in place when the cement hardened. They form the 

 grate on which the material to be incinerated is thrown. 

 The incinerating chamber was made from galvanized 

 iron by a local tinsmith. This consists of a rectangular 

 box 2 feet 2 inches long, 1 foot 10 inches wide, and 1 

 foot 6 inches high. In the top is cut a round hole 12 

 inches in diameter, which is protected by a hinged cover 

 15 inches by 14^ inches. This galvanized box has no 

 bottom. It is placed on top of the grate bars and held 

 firmly in place by cement worked up around its lower 

 edges. At the back of this iron cremating box is an 

 opening for a stove pipe which is necessary in order to 

 give the proper draught. A wooden box is provided 

 which sets over the galvanized portion to protect it from 

 the weather when not in use. 



* Condensed from Maine Station Bulletin No. 216. 



