SUCCESSFUL PC>ULTRY KEEPING 



had. reached maturity, on the average of 12 eggs per day., [(The 

 other house contained later hatched chickens),; Our hopes 

 were swelled that we had hit the right plan and that our egg 

 yield from this flock soon would become still greater. , , . 



But here we were disappointed. As soon as the weather 

 became more severe the egg yield did not even keep its own 

 but diminished in an alarming manner. From an average of 

 12 eggs during the first third of Pecember we rapidly went 

 down, making the average for the second third but eight eggs 

 per day. 



The middle of the month had brought us snow and cold 

 nights and we noticed that the combs of the Leghorn pullets 

 got white tips and those of the Leghorn cockerels turned bluish. 



It was npt necessary to carry the experiment any further 

 at least as far as Leghorns were concerned. As we were short 

 of quarters for our birds, we had to leave them in these houses, 

 but provided for the fronts muslin doors which could be opened 

 the full width of the front, when closed, whioji hereafter was 



nujeh too gmall. for, that number of chiokenB, which Mr. Tol- 

 man.recommepids to keep in such a, house. The area is but 96 

 square feet, which gives each fowl only 2J square feeti Not 

 from a theoretical^ point of view, but from practical observa-" 

 tion we had come to the conclusion that not less than 4 square 

 feet should be allowed to each chicken. 



There are days on which chickens are better off 'indoors 

 thiai;! outdoors, no matter how necessary fresh air is for. their 

 well being. The house, therefore; must have room enough for 

 the chickens to move about and to scratch for their food. In 

 a house which is overfilled, the chickens stand idle. For the 

 phlegmatic Brahmas this may be no hardship; they also keep 

 warm by the mere size of their bodies, but the little Leghorns 

 soon feel chilly if compelled to idleness on a stormy day. 



Another feature iij Mr. Tolman's plan which did not find 

 our approval is the depth of the droppings boards, caused by 

 the use of the threefold roost. Occasions, frequently happen, 

 especially in the fall when the weather turns severe, on which 



FRESH-AIR POULTRY HOUSES FOR , COLD LATITUDES 



To the right in the picture are two Tolman Open-Front Houses. The two square houses, with part canvas and 

 part wooden doors, show the Tolman 'Houses as modified, used and recommended by H. Heidenhain, Proprietor West 

 End Poultry Ranch, Wenatchee, Wash. 



done every night. A 3-inch wide strip over the top of these 

 doors was left open to admit fresh air. After these changes 

 were made no more combs got frozen, in fact the color of the 

 combs of the cockerels soon became bright red again and our 

 egg yield increased in spite of the weather becoming still worse. 

 The average of the last third of December was 15 eggs per day. 



HOW THE PLAN FOR OUR FRESH-AIR HOUSE WAS DEVELOPED 



During the course of this experiment the question as to 

 the style of laying houses best adapted to our climatic con- 

 ditions was daily discussed and finally a plan was elaborated 

 which seemed to satisfactorily .fulfill all requirements. 



It was out of, question to follow . in future the Tolman 

 plan, even in the inodified form i. e., with muslin frames in 

 front, as, for our purpose at least, the interior arrangement 

 was not practical. In the first place we found the floor space 



the chickens must be treated individually. The attendant 

 must be enabled by the arrangement of the roosts, to reach 

 any single bird without disturbing the rest of the flock. This- 

 caimot be done with three roosts, as the third one is too far 

 away from the front of the droppings boards. To bring the 

 roosts closer together would not do, in fact in Mr. Tolman's 

 plan the roosts are as close together as admissible, perhaps a 

 little too close. Two roosts are all that should be used. 



The wire front in Mr. Tolman's plan' has proved disas- 

 trous to the large combs of Leghorns. The house being of 

 small size the excitable Leghorns fly right towards the front 

 whenever a person enters the house, thereby lacerating their 

 combs. Here again it shows that circumstances change con- 

 ditions. What is right' for the easy going Brahmas will not. 

 necessarily suit the nervous Leghorns. . . 



, Placing the nests under the droppings boards as is. often 

 done, also in Mr. Tolman.'s plan; we do not find -practical.. Not 



