CHAPTER V. 



Dr. P. T. Woods' Improved Open- Air Poultry House 



N" THE FALL of 1908 an experimental Woods" 

 open-air poultry house was built on an exposed hill- 

 side on a farm in northern Massacnusetts. It 

 yielded such satisfactory results that the plans were 

 published the following summer. The house became 

 immediately popular and many were built by poultry 

 keepers throughout the United States and Canada. Eeports from 

 north, south, east and west show that the house has proved satis- 

 factory under a very wide range of climatic conditions. It has 

 stood the test of severe winters with heavy snows or with high 

 winds and bare ground, and of hot, dry summers and wet, cold and 

 foggy seasons. 



The house has been built of various dimensions and used as a 

 laying house, a breeding house and as a house for the operation of 

 individual brooders. Eeports received thus far have been very 

 gratifying. One poultryman reports that he intends to build a 

 hot-water pipe brooder house on a modification of this plan, using 

 curtains between front and rear section and for the open front to 

 prevent waste of coal and heat and to aid in regulation. The 20x20 

 foot plan has been built as a colony house and as one section of a 

 long or continuous house. In 1910 a Woods' open-air house 

 20x400 feet was built on a Connecticut farm and proved so satis- 

 factory that another house of same size was built in 1911. In the 

 same season two of these houses, each over 400 feet long, were 

 built on another Connecticut poultry farm. A Michigan breeder 

 built one to house 500 breeders and has found it very satisfactory. 

 Personally, I prefer the colony house. 



If the house is to be built on the long or continuous plan, the 

 30x20 foot plan is best and I would not build a long house that has 

 sections smaller than 10x16 feet. Would keep these houses the 

 same height as the 20x20 foot house herein illustrated. 



For small colony houses the best dimensions have proved to be 

 8 feet wide by 14 feet deep for flocks of from 5 to 25 birds. This 

 house can be made a little lower stud than the 20x20 house and 

 three light "cellar" windows used in the monitor-top, if desired. 

 For flocks of 30 to 40 birds the house can be made 10x16 feet or 



45 



