POULTRY-HOUSE CONSTRUCTION. 27 



The line cut shows how the door may be suspended from a wire rod. We 

 prefer, however, to hang the door by screw-hooks and eyes to the strip at the top 

 front of the nest, which would allow one to remove the doors when not trap-nesting. 



ALLEYWAYS. 



Some beginners will still have room for alleyways left in their house when 

 building. If the doors are in the centre of the pens, as before mentioned, the 

 poultryman has a greater chance to get his stock acquainted with him by continually 

 moving about amongst them. It may take a few more minutes to open and close 

 the doors, but this is preferable to the stock becoming excited each time the attendant 

 enters the pen. 



Alleyways reduce the holding capacity of the house to quite an extent, as well 

 as causing draughts by allowing such long, unobstructed currents of air within the 

 house. 



If many visitors are received, the poultryman should build a walk along the 

 outside of the house. The visitors can thus view the stock from out-of-doors. 



DUST-BATHS. 



It is as essential for the hens to have a dust-wallow as the "tub" is to the 

 human being. Sandy loam and sifted coal-ashes, with a little sulphur mixed, make 

 a very good dust-bath, providing it is slightly damp. 



The dust-bath should be placed near the front of the pen. If a box is used, 

 tenpenny nails may be driven in firmly all around the edges 3 or 4 inches apart to 

 prevent the stock from roosting upon the edges. 



BROODY-COOPS. 



Each pen should be provided with a coop to keep the hens in when they become 

 broody. It is a good idea to have the same suspended by wires from the roof-plates. 

 It should be constructed of common light stuff, with either a wire or slatted bottom, 

 front, sides, and top. 



WATER-PANS. 



Though there are several opinions as to the best water utensil, we prefer either 

 a shallow pan set on a lid 14 inches off the floor or the 10-quart pail. The container 

 should be so placed that the fowls cannot get into the pan, nor congregate about the 

 same, causing dampness to collect in this spot. If the container is placed on a 

 shelf, the shelf should not extend beyond the width of the pan. When the container 

 is high off the floor, nail a 1-inch strip around the shelf to prevent the fowls' feet 

 from gathering dampness. 



YARDS AND FENCES. 



The question is often asked:. How much range should be allowed for the stock? 

 The writer believes that there is only one real answer, and that is, to give the stock 

 as much range as possible. This statement does not mean, however, that the stock 

 shall roost in the trees all winter, nor stay in the hay-loft. It simply means, use 

 your good judgment. 



One cannot allow as much range to layers as to breeders. With the high cost 

 of labour existing, the layers can be housed on the continuous plan, commercially 

 sneaking, to good advantage, and the breeders kept in small flocks on the colony 

 plan during the breeding season. 



The yards for the continuous plan should be made with width of the interior 

 plan, and no less than 70 feet long. When one has several hundred fowl housed 

 on the continuous system, the question of soil-contamination must not be overlooked. 

 Runs may easily be made on the north side of the house. The partition fences on 

 the north and south may be taken up each alternate year and placed on the side 

 which is used as runs that year. The other half may be sown with a mixture of 



