May, 1909 
AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 
XXI 
THE HEN HOUSE 
By Ida D. Bennett 
HE hen house for the accommodation of 
the small domestic flock will not differ 
materially from that of the more ambi- 
tious poultry raiser, as the rule in large plants 
is toward the use of small or colony houses 
rather than of large houses accommodating a 
large number of fowls. The same require- 
ments which make for the comfort of the 
fowls are equally necessary in the home flock— 
a tight, warm house, well lighted and con- 
venient in arrangement so that the care of the 
flock may be comfortably attended to and the 
time spent among them prove a pleasure. 
To secure desirable results the house need 
be neither expensive nor ornamental, but it 
must be substantial and of sufficient size to 
accommodate the number of fowls kept with 
room for expansion. It must be absolutely 
draftproof, which means airtight on three 
sides at least, though the fourth, which should 
always front the south, may be wide open if 
necessary. 
Personally I do not like the open-front 
house, but I think the muslin front, modified 
to the extent of covering a portion of the win- 
dow space with thin muslin, an excellent idea, 
as it allows the admission of air to the house 
at night without the addition of moisture, and 
on stormy days when a south wind makes nec- 
essary the closing of windows the muslin 
opening admits a current of fresh air unat- 
tended with wind or moisture. 
The location of the poultry house is of first 
importance, though I am aware that this is 
sometimes arbitrary owing to the restricted 
limits of a city or suburban lot. It is usually 
possible, however, to control the exposure or 
location of the windows, which should always 
front the south and the building should, if 
possible, be protected on the north and on 
the side of the prevailing winds by other 
buildings or anything which wil! break the 
force of the wind. Evergreens form one of 
the most successful means of protection. A 
tall growth of evergreens on the windward 
side of the hen house and parks makes the 
situation pleasant both summer and winter. 
It is not really necessary that one should go 
to the expense of an entirely new building for 
the housing of poultry; frequently one has 
an outbuilding which, with a little planning 
and Jabor, may be converted into a comfort- 
able house, or a portion of the barn may be 
partitioned off for the purpose, but the isolated 
building is to be preferred as insuring freedom 
trom rats which are always attracted about a 
barn by the grain. 
In adapting an idle structure into a poultry 
house, my own experience may be helpful. 
This little building, originally used as a 
shelter for a horse running in pasture, was 
so open as to give one a fair view of the sur- 
rounding landscape from every side, so plenti- 
ful were the cracks between the boards. Sufh- 
cient old lumber was found about the place to 
close up the inside of the studding, leaving a 
four-inch space between the boards which was 
packed full of dry leaves to the eaves, except 
on the south side where an opening large 
enough for two sash was cut, the remainder of 
the space being lined and packed like the rest. 
The outside boards were then battened with 
lath and the inside lined with tarred paper, 
Jath being used to hold it in place. The east 
end was fitted with a platform and narrow 
perches, and a small door under the windows 
gave the fowls egress to the barnyard, while 
a door in the west end admitted to the scratch- 
ing shed which protected the building from 
the west winds. The building has no floor, 
but a gravel one that is higher than the sur- 
rounding land and is fairly dry and comfort- 
The bride’s wise choice 
“From our new cottage home 
“T shall omit the useless in- 
“ner doors, mantels, extra 
“chimneys, fancy lamps that 
“are never lighted, books 
“which are never read, vases 
“which contain no flowers, etc. Let us 
“first purchase an outfit of 
AMERICAN |DEAL 
RADIATORS BOILERS 
“because -they save much coal, need no repairs, keep all ashes, smoke, 
“and soot out of the living-rooms, are safe, and will last as long as 
“the cottage shall stand. These savings and economies will help in 
“time to pay for the finer furnishings.” 
“The cottage will be kept cozily warm all over, and the family health thus 
“protected. If we prosper and move to a larger house, we will get our full 
“money back, or 10% to 15% higher rental to cover cost, as IDEAL Boilers 
“and AMERICAN Radiators do not rust out or wear out.” 
Those who know that happiness depends so much upon the comfort and 
healthfulness of the 2 
home, whether newly- 
weds or longweds, are 
urged to write us at once. 
Our outfits are as quickly put 
into OLD buildings as in 
new—farm or city—and this 
is just the season to get the 
services of the most skillful 
Fitters. Prices are now most 
favorable. 
Cerio, = Eerie: sth g 
A No. 3-22 IDEAL Boiler and 600 A No. 22 IDEAL Boiler and 240 ft. 
ft. of 38-in. AMERICAN Radiators, of 38-in. AMERICAN Radiators, 
costing the owner $245, were used costing the owner $110, were used 
to Hot-Water heat this cottage. to Hot-Water heat this cottage. 
At these prices the goods can be bought of any reputable, competent Fitter. 
This did not include cost of labor, pipe, valves, freight, etc., which installa- 
tion is extra and varies according to climatic and other conditions. 
AMERICANRADIATOR COMPANY 
IDEAL Water 
Boiler 
Write Dept. 6 
CHICAGO 
Showrooms 
in all large cities 
Don’t Injure Your! Hair with Old-F ashioned lone Use ‘ 
. The “DEL” Electric Curling Iron | 
The only detachable curling iron ever invent- | The ‘Del’? is quickly heated from the in- 
ed. e ‘*Del’’ has nothing to get out of 
order—nothing to break or bend—offers no 
chance to scorch the hair or burn the fingers. 
No soot or smoke from gas or lamp to soil 
the hair. No fear of making the hair 
coarse or brittle. The ‘‘Del’’ saves all 
these and _beautifies the hair, for its 
electric heat instills new life, while 
its highly polished surface imparts 
a glowing lustre. The ‘Del’’ is 
easily attached to any ordinary elec- 
_ tric light fixture, and so simple any lady 
can use it. It makes more beautiful and lus- 
trous Marcel Waves, Curls and Pompadours 
than ee ppeeible with any old-fashioned curling 
iron and causes the hair to remain in curi for 
several days longer, 
DEL SALES COMPANY, Dept. N, Monadnock Bldg. 
side—evenly heated from end toend at just ff 
the proper degree for hair dressing. The ff 
heat is retained to allow the iron to be de- J 
tached and used in another room if desired. [J 
It never heats in spots and cannot be over- 
heated to scorch or injure the hairlikethe Ff 
ordinary iron. You will be surprised and 
delighted to find how quickly, easily and 
erfectly you can dress your hair in the 
atest fashion with the ‘‘Del.”’ ; 
Try the “Del” 5 Days at Our Expense 
Then, if you are willing to part with it,send ff 
it back—we'll pay express both ways—and ff 
cheerfully refund your money. Price of the [] 
‘Del’? is $3.75, express prepaid. Send to us]J 
if your local dealer or electric station can- J 
not supply you. : 
SLL dmma CHICACO, ILL. 
» OOKSECO. CLEVELAN..0: 
7 ‘FLOORSSIDEWALK LIGHTS. 
~OF EVERY DESCRIPTION. 
| SEND FoR CATALOGUE. 
9 You can 
surpass the 
work of any 
skilled hair dresser who uses 
an old-fashioned curling iron, 
ty 
Silica 
Dixon’s canite Paint Lasts 
And the reason why it lasts is because its pigments are inert. What 
have inert pigments to do with it? Our Booklet 106B will tell you. 
JOSEPH DIXON CRUCIBLE COMPANY, Jersey City, N. J. 
