THE CONSTRUCTIOIsr OP POULTRY HOUSES 201 



The sills or runners should be cut as sled runners as shown in 

 Fig. 88 and a hole made near the end so that a team can be 

 hitched to the house when it is to be moved. The runners are 

 placed 10 feet apart and upon these the sleepers are placed. 

 The two outside sleepers are 14 feet from outside to 

 outside. The other sleepers are placed 26 inches apart 

 and nailed. Next the studding is cut and placed, plates 

 laid, and the rafters put in position. These are to be 26 

 inches apart. Next the sheathing is placed and the roofing 

 put on after which the siding is put on. This is done for pro- 

 tection in case of rain during the building processes. The 

 siding consists of tongued and grooved flooring and is placed 

 as illustrated in Fig. 88. The front of the building is left 

 open until the floor has been laid and the dropping boards 

 and roost poles constructed. The supports for the dropping 

 boards are put in place, the back one is nailed on the front of 

 the corner studding so as to allow one opening between the sup- 

 port and wall to prevent the holding of droppings. The front 

 support is held at each end with a 2-inch by 4-inch timber 

 placed at each end, perpendicular to the floor and nailed to the 

 wall. Next the dropping boards are constructed in sections 

 so they may be taken out of the building, disinfected, 

 and sunned. These sections are 18 inches wide with two 

 cleats 1 inch by 4 inches and 16 inches long, nailed 10 

 inches from either end of the boards. These boards extend 

 across the back side of the house, but those under the broody 

 coop may be nailed to the board supports. The roost poles 

 are made of 2-inch by 4-inch timbers, as shown in Fig. 88. 

 These roost poles are to be dressed on all four sides and are 

 laid down flatwise so as to make a flat surface for the birds to 

 perch upon, which prevents injury to the breast bone in case 

 young chickens are placed in the house. The top corners of 

 the poles are rounded, just a little, only enough to take off 

 the sharp corner. The roost poles are made in sections and 

 supported in the middle part with a short piece of 2-inch by 

 4-inch timber, which is nailed to the cross support of the roosts. 

 The cross supports are hinged to the wall at the back so the 

 front can be raised. A chain 12 inches long is provided 

 for each section and is fastened to the rafters, and the links 



