112 



COMMERCIAL POULTRY RAISING 



of a series of separate pens under one roof, connected by an alley- 

 way at the rear, or by doors or gates between the pens, or it may 

 be one long house capable of accommodating units of from 500 

 to 1000 birds. 



The advantages and disadvantages of the two ideas are nu- 

 merous. Birds on free range require less scrupulous attention to 

 cleanliness, no expense for fencing, and they will pick up the 

 greater part of their green and animal food. Moreover, should 

 sickness break out there is less likelihood of its becoming an epi- 

 demic. On the other hand, the colony plan involves considerably 



(Cornell Experiment Station) 



F'S- 75- — Diagram illustrating the angle of the sun's rays during December. 

 Sunlight should be permitted to reach the rear of the building, where it is most 

 needed. 



more labor in the performance of routine work, such as feeding 

 and watering, cleaning and gathering eggs, than the continuous 

 house plan, which is especially true in stormy weather. 



The cost of building houses on the colony plan is much higher 

 per bird, not only because a number of smaller houses require so 

 many additional end walls, but being smaller the allowance of 

 floor area per bird in the colony house should be almost double 

 that required in the long continuous house. 



The relative merits as to productiveness are debatable, although 

 there is a tendency to accept the idea that small flocks produce 

 the greater egg yield. To offset this, however, it costs more in 



