SUCCESSFUL POULTRY KEEPING 



Buch as comer strips, molding, etc., have been omitted, our 

 only 'object being the comfort of the inhabitants. 



These houses have been in use since December and have 

 proved equally serviceable with Plymouth Rocks as with Leg- 

 horns. We have had no frozen combs, although our nights 

 in January were pretty cold and the air was damp and chiUy 

 from the time the chickens were put in until the end of Feb- 



ruary, only a few single days of simshine interrupting the mono- 

 tony of cloudy skies. 



We are satisfied that our poultry houses fulfill the require- 

 ments of our climatic conditions, . but we ' hardly think that 

 one plan will answer under all conditions. " All we can say is; 

 Study youi climate and your breed'andthen biiild to suit. 



FRESH-AIR HOUSE INDORSED 



THE TOLMAN TYPE OF FRESH-AIR HOUSE IS THOROUGHLY TESTED AND FOUND 

 ADMIRABLY SUITED TO THE NEEDS OF POULTRYMEN IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE- 

 MODERATE COST, HEALTHFULNESS AND SAVING OF TIME ARE STRONG FEATURES 



E. L. PARSONS 



fAVING had some experience with the Tolman 

 Fresh-Air House, I most heartily indorse it, at 

 least for a moderate climate. I have used three 

 of them the past winter, in breeding pens, the 

 results being far more satisfactory than with 

 other kinds previously used. In fact, I am so 

 well pleased. with the results that hereafter all new houses I 

 build will be of this kind. 



Up to a year ago, I was using the customary tight house 

 ventilated as well as safety would permit. Every morning 

 when opening the houses, both my sense of smeU and common 

 sense rebelled. I could not beheve that it was healthful for 

 anything to breathe such foul air, so when the Reliable Poultry 

 Journal described the Tolman house, I was an immediate 

 convert. I drew my plan, purchased the material and went 

 to work. Being somewhat of an amateur carpenter, I did all 

 the work myself with the aid of a man of all work. The re- 

 sult was so satisfactory and the finished house appealed so to 

 my common sense, I went on and built two more. The houses 

 cost me $20.00 each for material, rough lumber at $6.00 per 

 thousand and flooring at $17 . 50. The picture herewith, I took 

 of one of them. 



I built my houses according to the dimensions given by you 



X4 ft. long, 8 ft. wide, 4 ft. high at front, 6 ft. at rear and 8 



ft. at peak, and for a breeding pen house it is large enough. 

 The frame is made of 2 by 4's, two being nailed together for 

 the sills, only one-half of each lapping the other, the inside one 



forming a shoulder on which to rest the uprights and floor 

 joists. A two inch comer is cut out of the ends of floor joists 

 so that when they rest upon the shoulder the top comes even 

 with the outside of sill. The three sides of house are covered 

 with tongue and grooved flooring, the dressed side in, then this 

 is covered with a roofing paper and painted, making a thor- 

 oughly tight and dry wall and giving a good clean surface iii- 

 side. The floor is of rough poplar boards fitted closely at all 

 sides, this being covered with building paper and then with 

 the flooring same as used on sides, making a tight, warm, floor 

 and which comes up about two inches above where the sides 

 of house join the sills, insuring a dry floor. The roof is of 

 rough common lumber, but it would be better to have it edged 

 and dressed, covered with roofing paper and held more firmly 

 in place by means of i by J strips, all well coated with a good 

 roofing paint. The front is enclosed with 1-inch mesh poultry 

 wire, in the comer being a small door for the birds to go and 

 come. The door is a regular panel house door and the window 

 a 12 by 14-8 Ught, both set in frames made out of 4-inch strips, 

 door, sash and frames being painted. 



The house photographed, of which I enclose a print, being 

 built in a temporary location, is set right upon the groimd, but 

 those built at permanent locations are set up on posts and as 

 the ground is quite sloping, the front is about three feet higher 

 above it than the rear. This allows the air to circulate under- 

 neath, gives the birds additional shelter and makes a good place 

 for drinking fountains and hoppers. 



56 



