CHAPTER XII 

 DEVICES FOR DOORS AND GATES 



The experienced poultryman never fails to close his hen houses 

 at night. He will tell you this practice is a part of the daily 

 routine, quite as important as the feeding and watering. This 

 closing up does not necessarily mean shutting the windows, cur- 

 tains and doors with the view to keeping the house warm or pro- 

 tected against storms. In fact, it has nothing to do with the 

 temperature of the interior, but with its security — against intru- 

 sion. 



Protection against burglars! Yes, that is correct. But not so 

 much two-legged gentry, as four-footed raiders. The measure is 

 inspired by a simple natural law — that poultry is the prey of dogs, 

 cats, rats, weasels, foxes, minks and other varmints, and against 

 which fowls must be protected by artificial means. 



For the sake of ventilation it is customary to build the greater 

 part of the fronts of poultry houses in the form of windows, cur- 

 tains and openings of one type or another. To close these would 

 make the interior stuffy and humid, unhealthful, and in warm 

 weather suffocatingly hot. The most approved type of poultry 

 house is that which is known as the open-front house. In good 

 practice these openings are carefully covered with small mesh 

 netting, preferably cellar window screening, though inch mesh 

 poultry netting will do nicely, which not only prevents the escape 

 of the occupants of the house, but safeguards them against in- 

 truders. 



Thus with netting over all openings the windows and curtains 

 may be left in any position night or day with perfect safety. But 

 — what about provision for the fowls to enter and leave the house? 



Fowls are Abroad Early. — At the first streak of light from the 

 East, chickens stir themselves from their perches. At the earliest 



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