118 



COMMERCIAL POULTRY RAISING 



Kinds of Floors. — ^The floor may be of earth, wood or cement; 

 location and soil conditions are the determining factors. See 

 Fig. 8i. It is highly important that the floor be dry, otherwise 

 it will be impossible to keep the litter dry and sweet enough for 

 the fowls to work in. Straw and similar materials absorb mois- 

 ture very quickly, whereupon they give off foul odors and are 

 very apt to contaminate the scratch grains thrown into them. 



Earth Floor. — ^There is no better floor for poultry than an earth 

 one, providing it is practicable to keep it dry, and it is also the 

 most economical. A light sandy loam is best. A dirt floor 

 should be about a foot above the outside ground level, hence the 



{Cornell Experiment Station) 

 Fig. 8l. — Methods of constructing foundations and floors. 



best method of construction for such a house is to erect a concrete 

 wall for a foundation. This should be built deep enough to pre- 

 vent heaving by frost action, and extend about a foot above 

 ground, after which it is filled in with soil, preferably sand, before 

 the balance of the structure is erected. 



A wooden sill is laid on the top of this wall, upon which the 

 frame studding is built, with the weather boards or siding carried 

 three or four inches down on the outside of the concrete. An ar- 

 rangement of this kind promotes great durability, for there is no 

 part of the frame structure in contact with dampness and there- 

 fore likely to deteriorate. 



