266 



POULTRY PRODUCTION 



Graham/ in speaking of the various styles of houses that 

 had been tried at the Ontario Agricultural College during a 

 period of several years, says: "The first houses constructed 

 were built tight and warm. They were fitted with stoves or 

 hot-water pipes so that the fowls could be kept at a comfort- 

 able temperature. This plan was not satisfa,ctory, mainly 

 for the reason that it was difficult to keep the fowls in good 

 health and, furthermore, the eggs were low in hatching 

 power." 



Fig. 142 



A "lean-to" that was converted into o, most satisfactory poultry-house. 

 Poles were placed inside to form a ceiling and the loft thus made was filled 

 with straw to add to the warmth of the house. (Courtesy of Reliable Poul- 

 try Journal.) 



Dryden^ reports that he made tests on two pens, one of 

 which was artificially heated. No description of these pens 

 was given further than to say that they were 10 x 100 feet. 

 The average fertility of eggs from the artificially heated 

 house was 70 per cent., while the fertility of those from the 

 unheated house averaged 77 per cent. The average percent- 

 . age of the fertile eggs from the heated pen which hatched 

 was 33, while the fertile eggs from the unheated pen gave 

 a 50 per cent, hatch. It is to be regretted that there was no 

 mortality record kept on these chicks after hatching. 

 ' Ontario Bulletin No. 189. » Utah Bulletin No. 102. 



