CHAPTER II. 



The Home of the Two Hundred Egg Hen. 



Much of a man's success or failure in the poultry business 

 will depend upon the location and construction of his plant. 

 Where hens are kept in small numbers and given free range, 

 they do well almost anywhere ; but where they are kept in large 

 numbers and in confinement, they must have as favorable con- 

 ditions as possible or they will prove a source of loss and not of 

 profit to their owner. 



The best location for a poultry plant is on sandy soil, where 

 there is a gentle slope to the south or southeast. If there is a 

 wind-break of some kind on the north and northwest the loca- 

 tion becomes ideal. Such a location, however, is hard to find 

 nor is it indispensable. Poultry can be kept on almost any 

 soil, provided it is not saturated with water for a considerable 

 portion of the year. Even a clay soil has its advantages ; it pro- 

 duces a luxuriant growth of grass which not only provides the 

 fowls with forage, but which also by its roots takes up the ex- 

 crement which otherwise might contaminate the ground. 



Before the poultryman drives a nail or does a stroke of 

 work he should carefully consider the possibilities of his situa- 

 tion, and lay out his prospective plant in his mind. If he is to 

 build largely at once it might pay him to consult an expert. 

 But if he is to build only one small house, he should build it 

 with reference to others that he may put up in future years. 

 So I say, have a plan. The details may be filled in at the poul- 

 tryman's convenience or they may never be filled in. But if 

 the man lives and his business grows the time will come when 

 ihe will thank his stars that he was wise and far-seeing enough 

 to have a plan at the very start, and not have to waste time and 

 money moving buildings about or in tearing them down and 

 replacing them with others. 



THE COLONY PLAN. 



There are three methods of keeping hens in large numbers. 

 The first of these is the colony plan. The principle of the col- 

 ony plan is that of keeping hens in small segregated houses 

 twenty-five to fifty hens in a house. These houses are scat- 

 tered at regular intervals over the farm, and are visited two or 

 three times a day by an attendant. The hens are given free 



