| Show Poultry House Furnishing for Hom Flock t CARE ARE OF HENS ON ONI I ROOSTS c t tIt It Places for Sleep Food and Water Utensils Present Problem for Solution of Man Co Starting in Business CoALL ALL EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE EASY TO MOVE ABOUT The Roost Should Be Made of JI Scantling Two to Three Inches Across With Upper Edges Rounded or of Poles NOT TOO HIGH FROM FLOOR Copyrighted 1912 b by the McGuckin- McGuckin r. r tf l company compan r J Last week we described and and amI 11 U. an Inexpensive house for the home homo flock of ot laying hens f This building ma may be bo constructed at a a. cost of ot from 6 to 10 from two to piano boxes and a a. small amount of ot additional material The accompanying contribution deals with made homemade equipment for tor forthe forthe the poultry house All of these appliances have been used b by Profesor Professor Pro Pro- lessor fessor Stoneburn In his hla practical I work with poultry and they have proved to be entirely satisfactory The Pekin duck the most M u tar Jar market breed Is the subject i of ot Mr Grahams Graham's Illustration Wo We 4 have previously reproduced simi L Jar lar ar drawings of ot the following breeds of or fowls Barred Plymouth Rocks Butt Burt Cochins White Whito Wan Wyan dottes and S. S C. C Bro Brown n Leghorns o T IKE IRE every w well appointed dwelling L the poultry house must be fur fUr- The hens require a L place to sleep feed teed and water utensils and a afew few tew other things will come In handy Nests ests are not the least Important part ot nf of the equipment as these are of ot Inter Inter- I r rest st to the tho n all of or the time and sund nd to the fowls occasionally Every dealer In poultry necessities t carries F arrles arries all of at these essentials In various styles and sizes and at different prices s. s Some of of them are not entirely practical but a aa a a. rule they are admirably admirably admirably ably adapted to the specific purpose tor Zor which they are aro designed are well f fr ff nude made durable and reasonable In price Jt t will be to the advantage antage of ot the tho be- be be I i ginner tp Investigate these before de de- Aiding iding to attempt to make similar at home especially If It the ele- ele ament Is Important Ai In many cases the takes toe t certain pride In building the poultry house and equipment with his own I hands ands Frequently the necessity of keeping down expenses prevents the purchase of ot ready made appliances r making making- home borne manufacture necessary For such people we of offer tel a few suggestions suggestions regarding made home equipment which will admirably serve the purpose even though not particularly particularly par par- ornamental AGAINST INSECTS Before putting In the poultry house J furnishings one will do well to consider con con- sIdor sider the following fact Poultry of oC all kinds are commonly troubled more moro or loss foss with lice and mites and these must be kept In check or the birds will suffer utter an and l egg ogg production greatly re re- re Bod Body lice remain u upon un On tho the birds all aU the time and may be bo practically practically eradicated b by an occasional dusting lusting with some ome good lice killing preparation or Insect powder But lInt red mites the murderous blood suckers I Jive In hi cracks and crevices In the walls under the roosts and In the tho nests comInS' comInS corning com corn ing InS out from those these hiding places to visit bit the birds and fill themselves with blood It Is advisable therefore to keep the Interior of the house as its smooth as possible and all aU equipment loose BO so O that It ma may be bo quickly and easily removed remo for thorough I This simplifies the task of ot fighting the mites and keeping the tho house In sanitary condition Where roosts nests and feed hoppers are oro nailed Ir lr place the tho work Is Js much more moro difficult and for tor this reason Is frequently neglected neg neS' to the tho detriment of ot the tho flock Movable appliances can be easily provided pro pro- vided and their many advantages are aro areso areso so apparent that they should be In Invariably Invariably In- In variably adopted The necessary equipment for tor the tho small poultry house comprises the following fol tol- fol- fol lowing Roost droppings board receptacle receptacle recep recep- for tor drinking water hoppers for tor shell grit grIt- and charcoal I I coop and md feed teed troughs or or pp o hoppers hopper r- r rTh Th The character of the latter will depend en on- on upon the feeding system adopted The roost of medium length Is best bost made of ot a piece of ot scantling or ora ora ora a pole from two to three Inches In diameter For an extremely long roost a R. should bo provided set with the two Inch side uppermost The Tho upper edges should bo be slightly rounded off ott a as the birds will be more comfortable than when square edges are aro left lett If It poles are used the tho surface should bo be borough borough rough not polished LENGTH OP OF I PERCHES The perches should be long enough to allow the following amount of ot space for each bird Leghorns or about seven Inches Plymouth Rocks or eight to nine Inches Cochin or ten Inches In weather cold 1 weather the birds will occupy less space than this as the they will crowd up together while In summer they will willbe willbe be more comfortable If It permitted to use more space spreading out along tho the roost As a a. rule the roost should be located located beat beat- ed at the rear of the house where It Is out of ot the wa way of ot the tho attendant an and l not In a draught When possible It should reach from side to side of ot the tho pen being supported on blocks at attached attached attached at- at to the tho walls If these blocks are arc notched to fit the ends of ot the roost the latter Jatter can be simply dropped In place This arrangement permits of easy removal Where poles pole arc are used the ends should be squared to prevent turning FROM FLOOR The roosts roost should be about two and anda a a. half hate feet from the tho floor three feet at the most mot Fowls are frequently In Injured Injured Injured In- In when Jumping down from high roosts especially where the f floor foor Is not well covered with soft litter The droppings board Is 19 a a. tight platform platform platform plat plat- form or floor six to eight Inches be below below below be- be low the roost This Is designed to catch the droppings and prevent the litter Utter from getting soiled For a single single single sin sin- gle roost this should be bo about two feet In width Where two roostS are used thc tho droppings board must be at least three feet wide and forty Inches Is 18 better This arrangement Is 18 not necessary necessary sary but If It Is used and the droppings removed each day the house Is kept In better condition It keeps the floor of ot the tho pen clean and In effect Increases 1 0 0 t d i 4 r J M i J 1 J. J I IJ l' l t t r iiI c t 1 4 tA k tZ c. c 1 II I PEKIN Brought originally from China ducks lucks have reached their h highest t state of perfection in size shape and color in ill America rhe They are arc must extensively used for market market many large lorge farms in this country hatching and marketing from to ducks every e year car PC kins are arc hardy and are arc rated among the thc most prolific layers The fhe ducklings make rapid growth and are arc much in demand when they reach f five fc c or or six pounds At this II ducks and sell readily in market Pekin ducks white in 3 ae age e they are known as green are arc pure u o plumage with nth yellow orange-yellow legs an and bills Their bo bodies ies are aro long and deep When full grown t the e drake weighs eight pounds and the duck seven pounds the available floor space for the tho fowls For the con construction of ot this platform either cither matched or square edged boards should be used so 50 there will bo be no nol l large rge openings between them Further a smooth surface Is much more marc easily cleaned The droppings board should rest on cleats nailed to the tho walls of the pen or In case of ot necessity on light supports supports similar to carpenters carpenter's horses To support the food and nd water receptacles receptacles recep recep- sideboard a wide shelf shelt or 01 should be provided This should be bo elevated elevated ele ole about eighteen Inches above the tho water PAIL AS WATER ATER HOLDER R. R An Any sized fair-sized wooden or tl fiber ber pall pail will make a good water vater holder Saw out an opening in the side ido four or five inches In depth and five lve Inches s In width through which the bird can thrust Its head when drinking A picco of oC wide witte board on the top weighted down with a e brick If It necessary serves to pr prevent vent th the birds ls from roosting on the edge of or tho pall pail spilling or fouling foul foul- ing the contents If It arrangements can cnn be nad hereby W-hereby a faucet In tho the yard ard drips steadily this will prove rove excellent for tor summer cummer use It furnishes s a t constant constant con con- stant supply of ot fresh water and docs does away with the necessity of frequently filling the water dish Grit shell and anti charcoal are arc rc regarded as poultry necessities and should be bo kept available at all times They mo may bo be placed In small boxes or cans or In Ina a self feeding hopper similar to 0 that Illustrated To construct this hopp hopper r an any sized medium box may bo ho used The top should bo removed and cut down to the proper width to permit It being slipped Into tho box it li should then be he nailed In place as Indicated The opening at the bottom should be about an Inch high In order to por- por I j. j w- w I J I t o t 1 r ho I HOMEMADE EQUIPMENT FOR THE POULTRY HOUSE mit the material to drop through A two or three throe Inch strip In front serves servos to keep tho the contents from falling out The Tho materials mentioned may be either mixed together or each kept In a sep separate separate sep sep- I arate compartment A portion of oC the end of oC tho box which forms the top of ot the tho hopper should bo bl removed to permit filling Nests which are both cheap and satisfactory sat sat- ma may be made from orange boxes or egg crates crates- The top should be removed and a three-Inch three strip nailed d along one edge The open sl side e be becomes becomes becomes be- be comes the front of ot the nest tho the strip being at Rt the bottom ant and serving to retain the tho nesting material HOW nO nOTO TO PLACE CE NESTS These nests may be plat placed d directly on the floor elevated on short legs or hung hunS on nails naUs against the tho wall If several nests are needed the box boxes s ma rna may maybe be piled one above e the other with small I projections or steps provided In which the birds ma may jump or fl fly when they desire to enter tho the nests For the feeding of ot wet mash and ta table table ts ta- ble scraps a simple V-shaped V feeding trough Is desirable For a small flock a trough four feet In length Is 13 Is Gut suf Itle It should hould be made as illustrated illus to smooth boards about Fix gIx inches In width An open trough of IC this kind Is easly cleaned after atel each feeding A hopper for dry mash Is easily made marIo from any small box six or sev seven n Inches In depth A lath or narrow strip should bo be tacked around the top of or the whole box forming a lip Up which prevents the tho thomash mash from being thrown out and und wasted Cross strips about three Inches apart permit the fowls to cat at nt will but prevent them from getting Into tho the food and scratching It out If It preferred a 0 piece of heavy wire netting with Inch mesh mean may be used This should bo be cut cuta a trifle smaller than thon the tho Inside di dimensions dimensions dimensions di- di of the top of the box and I dropped flat upon the mash T The Tle e bird bir eat through tile We mesh nr the wi v l follows tho the food down own until the botto is reached This arrangement also pr vents loss of oC feed from the of or the birds A tight cover should U 1 provided with which to boso the ho hoper hoper hoj per at night or at t any time tho the bird bir should not have adess access to the masni GREEN FOOD OX ON FLOOR C- C 1 Green food such as clover clover eS t bIos bles sprouted oats etc may h bs h fed c the floor though this this' entails 50 eon sor waste and more mOle or less s ing A 51 sit sin pie plo pocket of or two-inch two mesh wire tacked against the wall will hoi ho hoi i green feed securely prevent waste a at soiling an and at the same time perm penn tho the birds to pick It at will t I For the tIle convenience of ot the tho man a supply of ot grain should bo be ke kc available In the tho poultry house TI TI- may be l kept ept In a n tight box of ot suI suf- clent cleat size to hold a n weeks week's Many uso use galvanized Iron garbage pa j with tight covers coers These cost litt are aro convenient cou and protect the gr gra gre from dampness and rats For a breaking up coop a a. dories device IE it tended to cause broody hens to chan chane their minds any sized fair box may may mayl use used The bottom should be bo made mad a cJ slats or covered with wire Ire netting q which the most persistent hen will rt ri fuse tuse to sit very long This box may mayl attached to the side of at the house eith outdoor or Inside In the latter ca cathe cathe 1 the front should also be bo made of ot 81 shor ala sh 1 f or wire 4 I IOne One of ot tho the problems which the avage av avage ave av age back yard ard has dif dU p cult culty In solving Is tho the securing 0 of 01 regular supply of or scratching mater J Jor or litter At this season Beason of ot the y yi ye 7 many leaves are available and thi th tho m should bo be collected and saved sayed as th f make e excellent litter Utter Dry them th the thi pack In bags boxes or barre g gand and store In a dry place for tor win r use J IiI |
