HOUSING AND HYGIENE 269 



3° warmer than the coldest house and about 15° colder than 

 the warm house. 



" House No. 3, which gave the poorest results for each of the 

 five consecutive winters, was operated quite successfully the 

 sixth and seventh by introducing more fresh air into it." 



Sunlight. — ^An essential of the best success of a chicken- 

 house is plenty of sunshine. Nothing helps more in the 

 effort to reproduce spring conditions in the hen-house than 

 flooding it with sunshine. The hens like it, and it helps to 

 moderate low temperature and to keep the house dry. 

 It helps to prevent disease as well. It is one of the most 

 effective germicides that can be made use of. Other things 

 being equal the house that admits the most sunshine in the 

 winter time will be the one out of which comes the greatest 

 production. As Dryden dryly remarks, "Sunshine is a germ 

 destroyer and a better egg producer than red pepper or other 

 condimental foods." 



Ease of Disinfection. — Because of the small size and 

 corresponding small economic value of the individual hen, 

 not much time can be spent in doctoring her if she becomes 

 sick, even if the knowledge of how to treat her is at one's 

 disposal. Yet many poultry diseases are highly contagious. 

 If they once gain entrance to the flock, nearly every bird is 

 likely to be affected. The only satisfactory way to deal with 

 such epidemics is by taking every precaution for prevention. 



An essential of a good poultry-house, therefore, is ease of 

 cleaning and disinfection. All fixtures and appliances should 

 be movable, so that they may be easily cleaned and sprayed. 

 The general construction should be as tight as possible, so 

 that there will be a minimum of cracks and crevices. It is 

 in the cracks that the mites breed. They attack the hens 

 when on the nest or the perch and hide in any crack they can 

 find during the day. Such cracks as are unavoidable must 

 be easily reached. 



Size of the House. — ^The size of the chicken-house is 

 determined by the number of birds to be sheltered, the 

 amount of time they will be compelled to stay in the house 

 by unfavorable outside conditions, and by its portability or 

 permanence. The portable house will necessarily be of such 



