POULTRY 219 



Foundation. — The foundation is best made of concrete as it 

 is more durable and economical in the long run than any other 

 form of construction. It should be made deep enough to pre- 

 vent animals burrowing beneath and gaining access to the in- 

 side and high enough to prevent surface water from running into 

 the house. The walls should be heavy enough to support 

 the building placed upon them. 



Floors. — There is a diversity of opinion among poultry men 

 as to which is the best floor for a poultry house. Some prefer 

 earth, some wood, and others concrete floors. Earth floors to 

 be satisfactory must be protected by rat-proof foundations, 

 they must be graded high enough above the outside level of the 

 ground to make them dry, and on some soils that are very 

 moist several inches of crushed rock, cinders or coarse gravel 

 must be filled in below the surface of the floor to break up 

 capillary attraction which is the cause of moisture coming up 

 from below. Wood floors are not lasting, they are difficult 

 to keep clean and sanitary and are apt to harbor rats and mice 

 beneath them. Concrete floors, if made smooth and if the 

 grading beneath them is made the same as we have described 

 for an earth floor, no doubt will prove satisfactory. There will 

 be no difficulty about them being cold if kept covered with a 

 little earth or straw. 



The Walls. — The walls should be made tight. They should 

 be high enough so that the ceiling will not be so low that a 

 person doing the work would have to stoop. The construction 

 of the walls will depend upon the climate in which they are to 

 be erected and also upon the amount of protection afforded 

 from winds, by trees or other wind breaks. In most parts of 

 the United States single board walls are sufficient for the com- 

 fort of the fowls but in cold sections where low temperatures 

 and high winds prevail double walls must be used. 



The Roof. — There are several good types of roofs in 

 common use, namelj'-, the shed roof, the gable roof, the com- 

 bination roof, and the semi-monitor roof. The shed roof is the 

 most popular style of any and is easiest to build. The gable 

 roof provides a large garret space which is often filled with 

 straw, making the house warmer and dryer. The combination 

 roof. is a type midway between a shed roof and a gable roof and 



