42 OPEN-AIR POULTRY HOUSES 



also be taken into consideration, also wliatever windbreak there maj' 

 be near the house. Try to locate the house, sunlight considered, 

 so that the sweep of the prevailing winds will strike the house at an 

 angle, rather than flat on sides or ends. 



My buildings face due south and south by east. Those that face 

 south by east get the most winter sun. Some houses to be built 

 on the southwesterly slope will be made to face about soutli-south- 

 west. The essential point is to get as mircli sun as possible into all 

 parts of the house (so far as construction permits it) and to have 

 the front take the worst southerly storms a little on the slant rather 

 than direct. 



The immediately surrounding country will have more or less in- 

 fluence on the position of the jjoultry house. The Woods house 

 built for purpose of illustrating this book is located on a slight 

 ridge on a southerly slope and land drops very gradually from the 

 house to the south and a little to southwest and southeast. This 

 building faces south 10 degrees east and is just about right for 

 the location. One hundred yards north of the building is a strip 

 of thick pine woods on slightly higher land. About 125 yards 

 to the west is lower land well wooded, mostly white pine. To the 

 south and east there is open country for a considerable distance. 

 To the south and southwest some 300 yards or more away is the 

 pond and the outlet of Silver Lake and through this opening come 

 some of the fiercest winds of this location. The house gets the force 

 of this wind directly on its southwest corner and the wind blows 

 around and over the house, but does not make itself felt in it. 

 Southerly storms, with heavy rain, blowing directly across the open 

 land and striking this building almost flat on the wire screen of the 

 open front, have not wet the floor for a greater distance than 3 

 feet immediately back from the opening and then only a very little 

 water has blown in, not enough to make the floor very wet. It 

 dries out very quickly. In November, 1911, we had three exceed- 

 ingly heavy rains accompanied by very high soirtherly wind which 

 drove the rain before it at an angle of about 20 degrees or less. 

 The house staid dry and comfortable through those storms and we 

 are not likely to ever experience anything more severe unless we get 

 a cyclone which will carry off the building. 



It is a good plan to provide wind breaks to shut oif the northerly 

 storms in winter. A good row of evergreen trees is about the best 

 possible wind break, but stacks of marsh hay, straw, and corn 

 stnver are excellent and can be utilized so as to provide outdoor 

 scratching places in winter. Corn stover in shocks set in rows on 

 east and west side of house, and extending 20 to 50 feet in front 



