1912. 
THE RUKATb NEW-YORKER 
bu6 
POULTRY-HOUSE CONSTRUCTION. 
Methods of Housing for Winter Egg 
Production. 
Part I. 
Of the several essentials in the pro¬ 
ducing of eggs during the Winter 
months feeding and housing are perhaps 
the most important. Where small flocks 
are kept they often give good results 
without any particular attention being 
paid to shelter. We are all familiar with 
many kinds of makeshifts which have 
served admirably in housing a dozen 
hens or so, but I have failed to meet 
a single large poultry farm where the 
aim was to produce eggs when the price 
was high, where the houses have not 
been built for the purpose. Indeed 
many have gone about it so thoroughly 
that they have overdone the matter and 
consequently weakened the vigor of the 
fowls. In Winter egg production, the 
pullets are raised on free range, large 
and healthy. In the Fall a month be¬ 
fore they should begin to lay they are 
placed in their Winter quarters. Often 
they do not go out of the laying house 
until the following Spring. Some will 
say this is an unnatural condition, most 
certainly it is, and the more necessary 
it becomes to consider the health of the 
stock. For after all is said and done 
about breeding for heavy egg yield and 
forced feeding, the fact remains that 
the profitable egg farmers to-day, rely 
on the natural constitution of the bird, 
and to them, a healthy hen means a 
profitable one. 
Until 15 years ago or so the henhouse 
was a building eight to 16 feet deep 
and the same in width. For large num¬ 
bers long continuous houses were used, 
divided up into these small pens. Along 
the front there were many windows, 
and people thought the more glass in 
front the better was the house. There 
were various means used to ventilate 
houses where any considerable number 
were kept. The use of the glass front 
houses was probably an important fac¬ 
tor in keeping down the use of the 
Mediterranean breeds, because of this 
susceptibility to frosted combs and wat¬ 
tles. It was not until the keepers began 
to think that if the glass attracted heat 
during the daytime it favored its es¬ 
cape just as much during the night that 
we heard of the curtain front poultry 
house. About this time also the scratch- 
ing-shcd house came into popularity. 
The idea then was good. The shed 
part was used for exercise and feed¬ 
ing, and a close warm room was used 
for roosting quarters. The worst draw¬ 
back to all these houses was that it was 
impossible to keep large flocks in a 
healthy profitable condition. Success¬ 
ful ventilation was almost an impossi¬ 
bility. If a window was opened or 
ventilator flues installed a draft gave 
the birds a cold or frosted their combs. 
Without fresh air the birds in flocks 
of 50 or more roosted close together, 
breathed foul air all night and lost what 
vitality they gained during the day. 
Modern principles of poultry house 
construction involve six essentials. 
These are—1. Economical construction. 
2. Freedom from dampness and drafts. 
3. Plenty of fresh air. 4. Abundance of 
sunlight. 5. Sufficient floor space. 6. 
Convenience for attendant. For the 
person to take up any business with an 
aim to make it profitable and ignore 
economy would be useless. We find 
that economy in building poultry houses 
may best be secured by building them 
of cheap lumber, but substantially, and 
of as large dimensions as possible. Keep¬ 
ing large flocks has been proved practi¬ 
cal, and we now find many houses hold¬ 
ing from one hundred up to one thou¬ 
sand or more in single flocks. Of 
course this cuts down the labor item 
a great deal, as it is much easier to 
care for one flock of 500 than for 20 
flocks of 25 each. The floor construc¬ 
tion may have considerable to do with 
the dryness of the house. Concrete 
floors well laid are no doubt excellent. 
Earth floors, however, are preferred by 
many, and certainly can be made very 
satisfactory at a much less cost. Damp¬ 
ness and drafts are the primary cause 
of colds, roup, etc., and should be care¬ 
fully guarded against. When the first 
curtain front houses were discussed they 
were thought by many to be another 
fad. The amazing rapidity with which 
they have replaced the old style from 
Canada southward and from East to 
West, proves their merit. Here in a 
single room we can give the birds the 
benefit of an open front scratching shed 
during fine Winter days and then by 
closing the curtain shut out any storm 
or wind. During the night the fowls 
enjoy an abundance of pure fresh air 
coming to them quietly and without 
draft. This results in increased vitality 
and with judicious management a more 
uniform egg supply all the year round. 
To supplement the curtain opening most 
raisers use a window. During the many 
cloudy dark days through the Winter 
the lowered curtain does not admit suf¬ 
ficient light. A good rule is to have 
the front of the house face south or 
southeast and to have one-third curtain, 
one-third glass and the other third 
boards. The glass window allows the 
greatest amount of sunlight to enter 
when placed in an upright manner. In 
the days of glass front much was said 
about the proper amount of floor space 
per hen and number of cubic feet of 
air space to be allowed. With the com¬ 
ing of the more open styles we find that 
we can crowd the birds more and yet 
get equally good results. In large flocks 
the more active breeds can be kept 
with only two or three square feet of 
floor space per bird by experienced 
managers. The novice should not try 
less than four. By having droppings 
boards under the perches and two or 
three feet above the floor, with all 
hoppers, nests and fixtures raised and 
fastened to the walls, the entire floor 
space is most economically secured for 
use of the hens. In building houses 
thought can be used to incorporate all 
the little conveniences possible which 
will later pay in reducing the labor 
item. For instance, in making the drop¬ 
pings boards, put the boards on the same 
way the hoe will be used. When long 
boards are used to go clear across, the 
hoe continually catches in the cracks 
in removing the droppings. Nests are 
better placed on the side-walls than 
under the perches. After a person has 
had a little experience in crawling under 
the nests to secure eggs laid on the 
floor at the back of the house he realizes 
what a nuisance they are under the 
perches. a. l. clark. 
(To be continued.) 
Salt for Cannibal Chicks. 
I notice G. W. L.’s inquiry as to what 
to do for chicks picking each other’s toes, 
and think my experience might help him 
some. I was greatly troubled with it last 
year, and took pecked chickens out by the 
dozens until I tried wetting their dry mash 
with salt water, and that proved very suc¬ 
cessful. I poured strong salt brine over 
the dry mash and rubbed it between my 
hands until it was all dampened and fed ail 
dry mash that way until they were half 
grown, or until by trying it dry they do 
not start picking again. At first if I 
omitted to wet it for a feed or two they 
would start picking same as ever. Do not 
make it sloppy, but just damp. The picked 
ones of course must be either removed or 
have their toes sewed up in rags. This 
year I started the salt when they first 
started picking, which was when about a 
week old. and I hesitated about giving 
it to such young chicks, but it had no 
bad effect whatever and stopped all trouble 
with picking each other. It acts as a 
laxative at first, but that effect seems to 
wear off after a little. M. b. 
Delaware. 
That Hen Contest. 
Having noticed the report on page 717 
on Mr. Dougan's 10 hens against a cow, 
I wish to say that the contest was fair 
enough as far as the 1,176 eggs are 45 cents 
a dozen. But how many of us farmers 
can get 45 cents a dozen ? Mr. Dougan 
says, “Taking the egg record itself we see 
what would happen if a man were selling 
eggs at the ordinary market price.” Well, 
he would get around 50 cents a dozen, anti 
figuring at that price he would net a profit 
not exceeding $2 per hen per year. As for 
the young stock, I think when Mr. Dougan 
put his eggs in incubators he only under¬ 
took to show what can be done with 865 
hatching eggs bought at 45 cents a dozen, 
and an incubator and a few brooders. Of 
course if he were isolated somewhere around 
the North Pole, where ho would be com¬ 
pelled to use the eggs of his own hens, that 
would have been altogether different. But 
when so many poultrymen around us are 
waiting for a chance to sell hatching eggs 
at 45 cents a dozen that might have been 
hatched better and the stock from them 
might have been more vigorous, then Mr. 
Dougan has made a mistake not to sell his 
eggs at 45 cents a dozen if he had a 
chance. At any rate if Mr. Dougan wants 
to have a contest on his young stock basis, 
hatching by incubators andbrooding or rear¬ 
ing his chicks by artificial means, against 
a cow making profit in natural way, then 
he will have to wait till an ingenious per¬ 
son will invent a mechanical device whereby 
the dairymen will simply pour the fresh 
milk in at one end of the machine, then 
go around a while and pull out a few living 
calves at the other end. job papp. 
Connecticut. 
It. N.-Y.—It depends upon how you want 
to figure. Let a man start with' only 10 
hens on his place. He may agree to sell 
all the eggs, or he may hatch them all if 
he thinks that would pay him better. In 
Mr. Dougan’s case the hatchery paid better, 
and the agreement was that he could do as 
he pleased with the eggs that were laid 
inside of one year. If a man were backing 
a cow in such a contest he would trv to 
plan so there would be two calves during 
the 12 months. The hen has a natural ad¬ 
vantage over the cow in multiplying her 
kind. That is one argument advanced in 
her favor, and one reason why the hen 
men claim that $50 invested iii hens will 
pay better than a $50 cow. 
THE EGG-LAYING CONTEST. 
Another high score was made this 
(thirty-fourth) week. S. M. Goucher’s 
Barred Rocks laid 83 eggs, out of the pos¬ 
sible 35. This score has been surpassed 
but once since the contest began. W. .T. 
Tilley's White Rocks laid 34 one week, and 
this week they laid 30, taking the second 
place for the week. Paul Van Deusen’s 
White Leghorns come third with 29 to their 
credit. Colonial Farm’s R. T. Reds laid 28. 
The week shows a total of 1794, a gain 
of five eggs over last week, but this is 
602 fewer than the number laid in the 
week of the highest production. The whole 
number of eggs laid to date is 50,268. 
F. G. Yost's White Leghorns increase their 
lead a little this week, they having laid 
27 during the week to 20 by the English 
pen. The totals to date are 722 by Yost’s 
Pen, 702 by the English birds. Other high 
scoring pens are: Beulah Farm White 
Wyandottes 678; Marwood Poultry Farm’s 
White Leghorns 677 ; White Rose Farm’s 
White Leghorns 670; Susie Abbott’s White 
Leghorns 648; Toms Poultry Farm’s White 
Leghorns 657; Frederick Peasley’s White 
Leghorns 622. White Leghorns are certain¬ 
ly making a great showing. Here are seven 
pens of them among the highest scorers, 
with two of the seven loading all the birds 
in the contest. The only other breeds 
that have reached the 600 mark are the 
S. C. It. I. Reds of Bunker Hill Poultry 
Farm, 605, and the It. C. R. I. Reds, hens of 
C. S. & S. A. Scovillc, 605. O. Wilson’s 
Buff Orpingtons, 629; Gilbert & Moore’s 
White Orpingtons, 614; and another pen 
of White Leghorns from Woods Lane Poul¬ 
try Farm, which have laid 606. Of 14 
pens which have laid 600 or over eight of 
the 14 are White Leghorns. The best lay¬ 
ing pullet of 490 birds in the contest is O. 
Wilson’s Buff Orpington No. 1 ; this bird 
has laid 197 eggs in the eight months. 
O. Wilson’s Buff Orpington No. 5 which 
did not commence laying until the 10th of 
January, has 130 eggs to her credit, which 
is nearly 26 eggs a month. This is a won¬ 
derfully good laying. When a pullet only 
misses four days a month for five months 
in succession, it is worth noting. Some 
of the birds have begun moulting, and this 
may change the position of the high scorers. 
If the late starters do not moult until 
November but continue laying while the 
present leaders are moulting, there will 
probably be some changes of position. The 
game is not won yet. There are quite a 
number of birds that did not begin laying 
for six weeks or more after the contest 
started, with scores of 135 to 146. The 
second score for high individual production 
is held by Dr. DIetrick’s White Orpington 
pullet No. 3, with a record of 178, F. G. 
Yost’s White Leghorn pullet No. 1 being 
third with 164 to her credit. 
GEO. A. COSGROVE. 
Rye Straw for Pullets. 
Can you advise me about the use of 
whole rye straw, with the grain on, as a 
first litter in the Fall, in pullets laying 
house? I am told that pullets cannot eat 
rye at all without ill effects, but doubt it. 
Millburn, N. J. n. m. 
The rye will not hurt the pullets if you 
can get them to eat it. This grain is not 
relished by poultry and they will not eat 
it readily as they do wheat, oats or barley. 
Feeding it in the sheaf as you suggest will 
not be satisfactory. Much of the rye will 
be wasted. Better thrash it out and grind 
with other grains to make a mash. 
KEEP MILK SWEET 
by proper cooling and 
aerating immediately 
after m i 11c i n g. Dairy 
Profits depend almo'st 
entii-ely on preventing 
Sourt and Garlicky milk. 
THE ROOT 
SANITARY COOLER 
is the most practical 
cooler for the dairy. 
Can be used under all 
conditions and is the 
only cooler that can 
be taken apart for 
cleaning. With- 
Ask for free circular. 
stands Pressure. 
Does it Pay to Milk Cows i 
Root Dairy Supply Co., Dept. D, West Grove, Pa. 
lump Jaw Cured 
In three weeks with 
one application of 
Adam's Rapid Lump Jaw Cure 
Easy Method. No Scars. Positively Guaranteed. 
Send for valuable Free booklet on animal diseases. 
11. C. ADAMS MFC. CO., Dept. 50, Algonn, Iowa 
. .. GO/ITS FOR SALE . . . 
Buck and Doe Kids, YearlingBucks and Does, driv¬ 
ing and milking goats. Imported “BRAVO” at 
stud—fee $5.00. Flora C. McKeand, East Aurora, N. Y 
TRANQUILITY FARMS offer choice DORSET 
RAMS and EWES for sale at farmers’ prices. 
One of the oldest ilocks in America. 
Arthur hanks, Mgr-ALLA31U0HY, N. J. 
o G S 
PM I IF PIIP^ - T,ie intelligent kind. Females 
UULLIC ruro cheap. NELSON'S, Grove City, Peniia. 
COLLIE PUPPIE^ _ IL eaeh and «p clark 
rUrrltg FARM. Boonton, New Jersey. 
COLLIE PUPS 
entitled to registry; spayed females 
Circulars. SII-AS DECK I. It, Montrose, l‘a 
SWIWE 
Chester White and 
Large Yorkshire Gilts 
to farrow September, 1912. Also 7 to 8 
months old pigs of both sexes for sale. 
HEART’S DELIGHT FARM 
C. E. Hamilton, Mgr. Chazy, New York 
REGISTERED YORKSHIRES 
Healthy, well-grown stock, all ages. Boars ready for 
service and just weaned. If on arrival stock is not 
as represented in your opinion, return same and wo 
will refund money. Raritan Valley Farms, Somerville,N.J. 
SPRINGBANK BERKSHIRES.- 
hi Connecticut. Sows bred for April litters all sold. 
Have4 sows bred to farrow in July; late, to ser¬ 
vice of Watson's Masterpiece. Will book orders 
for March and April pigs now. Send for new 
Booklet. J. E. WATSON, Piuurietor, Marbleilale, Conn. 
"BERKSHIRE and O. I. C. SWINE-All regis- 
tered. Young stock always for sale at 
reasonable prices. See our Poultry ad. 
MAPLE GLEN POULTRY FARM.MILLERTON. N. Y. 
Summer offering of pigs, both sexes, not akin. 
-v- h ... 
Sold out of service 
H. C. S H. B. HARPENDING 
boars and brud sows, 
DUNDEE. NEW YORK 
run oflut Safe in pig. Registered stock. $40 
apiece. Boars for breeding, $45 apiece; 2 years’old. 
CH. P. HATCH. Plum Beach Farm, Port Washington, L. I. 
PHR0PSH1RE YEARLING RAMS by imported sire. Price 
O right. FRED VAN VLEET, Lodi. New York 
0.1. C. S Of Superior Quality Service Boars, Gilts, Spring Pigs, 
- no akin pairs, also Buff Rock 
Ebbs, $1.50 per 15. Fred Nickel, Monroe. Mich., R. No. 1. 
CHESHIRE GILTS BRED L l iffi* 
HOGS and POULTRY-Srin^f": 
ner Duck Eggs, White and Brown Leghorn Eggs 
of best strains, Bred Berkshire Sows and Pigs. 
CHERRY HILL FRUIT FARM, Toboso, Licking County, Ohio. 
MIDflftC— 1 SPRING PIGS. $7.00—pedigreed 
UUnUud S. A. WEEKS_ DeGraff, Ohio 
1 ARGE YORKSHIRES— 8ows bred for June and August 
L farrow. Boars ready for service. May pigs, 
order now. Glinmahk Farm, Kobertsville, Conn. 
f DAIRY CATTLE 
EUREKA STGGK FARM- 
L Registered Jersey 
Bulls and Heifers'. 
2 mos. to 2 years old. 
Chester White, Po¬ 
land Chi na and Berk¬ 
shire Pigs, all ages. 
Collie Pups and a 
variety of POULT It 
EDWARD WALT 
L. 
Y. white for circular. 
KB, West Chester, Pa. 
FflR <JA1 F —gistered IlolKfeln-FripKiati Hull Calf from 3 
I Ull 08 LL year old cow that produced 92J-6 lbs. milk in 
one day; $7G. Others nearly as good for less money. Write for 
bargains. GATEvS HOMESTEAD FA KM, Chittenango, N. Y. 
HAVE SIX THOROUGHBRED 
HOLST Em BULL CALVES FOB SALE 
from three to six months old, from selected stock. 
Also some very line grade HOLSTEIN HEIFERS. 
P. B. McLennan, 412 Court House, Syracuse, N. Y. 
ONTARIO KING WANDAGELSCHE 
Holstein bull, born Dec. 5, 1911, largely white, show 
animal, a King Segis sire, high testing dam ny 
Homestead Girl DeKol Sarcastic Lad. Price, $75. 
Send for pedigree. CL0VERDALE FARM, Charlotte, N. Y. 
'TOMPKINS CO. BREEDERS’ ASSOCIA- 
TION, Box B. Trumans burg, N. Y. —Breeders 
or Holstein, Jersey & Guernsey cattle and the lead¬ 
ing breeds of sheep and swine. Write for salo list. 
registered°guernseVbull CALF 
Herd Tuberculin Tested. American Hound Pups. 
ON O NTA F ARM, PORTLAND, CONN. 
Breed Up-Not Down-lVT^i^S’S 
buy. Superior dairy dams. No better sires. It. F- 
SHANNON. !)D7 Liberty Street. Pittsburg, Pa . 
CHELDON FARM registered Durocs. Pigs of both sex 
° Bred Sows. Service Boars. Best of breeding 
0. K. BARNES, Oxford, N. Y. 
AYRSHIRE BULL FOR SALE^KSi 
bred; a grand Bull for show purpose. Price $90. 2 
years old, mostly white. L. M. Hallcnbeck.Greendale.N.Y. 
FOR SALE—22 Registered Brown Swiss 
Cows, Calves, Yearlings, Two-Year-Olds 
JOHN C. FOSTER, GREENWICH, N. Y. 
Milk Producers f<u\ New. York City market 
, , * lUUUlCia desiring information how to 
form branches of the Dairymen’s .League, write to 
the Secretary. Albert Manning OtisviHe. N. Y. 
IX o 
SEIS 
AT CTUIl T0M DUCAT ’ JUNI0R ; Chestnut stnl- 
Hl w I VI V lion. Service fee, ten dollars. For 
particulars, address LEON SAGE, Crown Point, N.Y. 
QHFTI AMD flND LARG£R P0NIES broken for small 
om_i lmiiu children. Also stallions, brood mares 
and colts. F. STEWART, Espyville, Pa. 
P ercheron and Belgian Stallions and Mares for saie 
at farmers’ prices. A. W. GREEN, Route 1, 
Middlefield, (). Railroad station, East Orwell, O., 
on Pemia. R.R., 30 miles north of Youngstown, O. 
HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN ASS’N, 
Pu rebred Registered 
HOLSTEIN CATTLE 
The State of Minnesota is to raise purebred Holsteins. 
The St. Paul Despatch reports: 
“ M. C. Cutter, Purchasing Agent for the State Board 
of Control, today instructed superintendents of State 
institutions to take out memberships in the Ilolstein- 
Friesian Association, and hereafter cattle at the institu¬ 
tion’s farms will be registered.” 
Holsteins are chosen by almost every public institution 
because they are the most economical milk producers ami 
the easiest cattlo to raise, and their milk is easily digested 
by all infants and invalids. 
Send for Free Illustrated Descriptive Booklets. They 
contain valuable information for any Dairyman. 
F. L. HOUGHTON, Sec’y, Box 105, Brattleboro, Vt. 
