HOUSING AND HYGIENE 253 



should be some low shrubbery under which the hens love 

 to hide and which serves as a protection from hawks and 

 crows in the case of young stock, as well. 



The same trees that furnish shade will keep out the wind. 

 It is not enough to locate the poultry-house in the lee of 

 some larger farm building. Such shelter is valualjle if it is 

 the best to be had, but the large building will not always be 

 to windward, and iiot winds are often quite as blighting as 

 cold ones. 



Fic. i;!l) 



When it is necessary to build where tiiere are no trees, shade must be 

 provided for the stock. (Courtesy of Kansas Agricultural Experiment 

 Station.) 



Sudden changes in temperature always lessen egg pro- 

 duction and generally lessen hatching power. The house 

 that is completely surrounded by trees will not be subject 

 to such sudden and severe changes as the house that is in 

 the full sweep of the wind. These trees may at the same 

 time comprise the farm orchard or be the means of supply- 

 ing fence posts. A hillside may be of great assistance in 

 protecting a house from prevailing winds, l)ut it should be 

 supplemented by trees. 



Soil and Drainage. — The ideal soil for the location of the 

 lien-house is one that is open enough to allow water to drain 

 out and warm air to get in quickly, and at the same time is 

 fertile enough to support a vigorous vegetable growth. The 

 sand}' or gravelly loam furnishes these conditions. The 

 clay and gumbo soils are usually undesirable, because 



