172 HOUSING 



there will be one square foot of muslin to ten square feet of 

 floor space. Window openings should be cut vertically, 

 that is, up and down. Curtain openings should be rather 

 wide and horizontal. The openings in the walls must be 

 cut a little smaller than the window sashes which are to fit 

 them. The sash can then be hinged on the inside, the wall 

 acting as the jamb against which the sash shuts. The open- 

 ings in the wall should be covered with one-inch mesh poultry 

 netting. This confines the birds to the house and also keeps 

 out sparrows. Sparrows will eat a considerable amount of 

 the poultry feed in the winter. They are also apt to infect 

 the flock. The window sashes should be hinged to the wall 

 inside so that they can be opened. The best way is to 

 hinge them on the side so that they will swing against the 

 wall out of the way. The muslin curtains can either be 

 attached so that they will roll up, or they can be tacked to 

 frames, and hinged to the top, and folded up against the 

 roof. 



Finishing the Floor. — If the floor is of wood, it should be 

 carefully examined to see that it is in good repair. It must 

 be tight, that is, free from cracks and holes. Any cracks 

 should be covered with boards. The upper surface must be 

 fairly smooth. If the floor is very poor, yet must be retained, 

 a good plan is to cover it with one-inch mesh poultry netting, 

 and over this lay a fresh floor, using eight- or ten-inch shiplap, 

 or tongued and grooved yellow pine boards. If a dirt floor 

 is to be put in a poultry house, the best way is to spread four 

 to six inches of stones, gravel or cinders, which will give good 

 drainage, and over this place a coat of cement or concrete 

 two or three inches thick. This should be tamped well to 

 bring the water to the surface. A common mixture for such 

 a flooring is one part cement, three parts sand, and five 

 parts cinders, or crushed stone. Such a floor has the advan- 

 tage of dryness, is absolutely sanitary, and is iiroof against 

 rats. 



Repairs to Walls and Roof.— The walls of the house should 



