POULTRY KEEPING 247 



from six inches to a foot of hay, straw or leaves to keep 

 frost from working in through the soil. For inside 

 covering ordinary building paper or tarred paper may 

 be used and is comparatively inexpensive, but the 

 heavier roofing papers like rubberoid, flintcoat, amelite, 

 paroid, etc., are more economical for the roofs and out- 

 side walls. These if painted with tar or asphalt make 

 very durable roofs. Shingles with building paper under 

 them make a very warm and desirable covering for 

 either roofs or sides of poultry houses. 



CARE OF THE FOWLS. 



Cleanliness and an abundance of light, fresh air and 

 water are the most important requirements for success- 

 ful poultry keeping, but closely following these an 

 abundance and variety of food must be given with a 

 good place for exercise and a warm place in which to 

 roost in very cold weather. 



The houses should be frequently cleaned out, and the 

 roosts or droppings boards be cleaned every two or three 

 days if a large number of fowls are kept. Scattering a 

 little dry dust like sifted coal ashes or land plaster over 

 the droppings will make this cleaning unnecessary more 

 frequently than once or twice a week unless the fowls 

 get into the droppings and scratch them about. The 

 droppings should be placed in barrels and kept perfectly 

 dry until sold or put upon the land. A coating of lime 

 wash should be put over the entire inner surface of the 

 house two or three times every year, adding a little 

 dissolved copper sulphate and kerosene to prevent the 

 germs of disease and lice and mites from increasing. An 

 ounce of the copper sulphate dissolved in hot water 

 and a half pint of kerosene will be sufficient for eight 

 to ten quarts of wash. 



