Show 3 13 poultry laying house by W J dryden farm editor the type of poultry house constructed ted on the farm arm should be determined ter mined upon the basis of 0 economy in construction as well as adaptability to the use to which it ww will be put it if eggs are to be produced lor for home consumption only a portable type of colony laying house may be advisable if eggs are to be produced for market the continuous type such as the missouri house illustrated lust rated in this article will prove e excellent xcell ent regardless of the type of house it must be economical to construct have shown that the air under a single wooden floor must be maintained at an average ot of vt degrees warmer than the air of the house in order to produce dry utter litter poultry can stand and need plenty of fresh air but must be free from drafts an open front house with ventilators rs at the rear provides a sufficiency of ventilation and protection tec tion the ventilators rs at the rear of the house near the top may be hinged at either top or bottom and open out drafts directly on I 1 the h e birds are conducive to ro roup P and colds A house that is poorly venti J missouri type laying house be well insulated as protection against heat and cold well ventilated and dry to insure the health of the hens must mast be adequately lighted can be operated operate with the minimum of labor and it must be easily cleaned in most cases it Is advisable to build in sections to aid in separation of young pullets from old hens plenty of floor space must be provided white leghorns Leg horns and other light breeds should be provided with avi 3 square feet per bird for the heavy breeds such as rhode island reds 4 square feet of floor space is necessary the importance of insulation should not be overlooked not only will proper insulation prevent exeas execs excessive heat or cold but will aid in control of dampness which Is usually caused by the condensation of 7 MM NO 99 20 FEED ROOM broom 8 V T AtTER MATI FLOOR PLAN WITH ROOM moisture on the cold floor wall or ceiling the type of insulation will be largely determined by local costs the poultry house bouse need not be elaborate or expensive but to be economical and durable it must be well constructed foundations and floors of concrete are durable sanitary and easily cleaned the size and depth of the foundation wall and footings will be determined ter mined on the size of building and soil conditions in most cases for a one story house a foundation wall of 8 inches will be sufficient the poultry house floor line should be about 10 inches above the outside grade line and should be four to five inches thick over a six to eight inch sand and gravel or cinder fill may be considered whether the laying house be constructed of lumber building blocks or concrete should be largely determined by price considering durability the construction of proper nests roosts boosts and feed equipment should be well planned this work can be done ahead as rain and show day chores I 1 all equipment in the poultry laying house should be built off the floor not only as an aid to cleaning but as it will provide more floor space tor for the fowls by raising the drinking fountains and food hoppers at least 18 inches from the floor exercise Is encouraged by forcing the birds to jump or fly up whether or not dropping boards are provided will depend upon the WOOD am FRONT VIEW LENGTH REDUCED TO SHOW SECTION N the importance of 0 the root roof must be considered when composition types are used provide matched roof sheathing use a good quality and lay according to the manufacturers specification when wood shingles are used common rough boards can be spaced idt 1 inches apart in damp sections of the country it may be advisable to use heat experiments at washington state experiment station is damp close and unhealthy locate the poultry house on well drained soil with a southern lor southeastern slope consideration should also be given to its location in relation with central feed water supply and location of other farm buildings the future expansion of poultry flock should be borne in mind make a complete plan of the poultry section as you expect to have it eventually so that all buildings are located conveniently there are several types of roofs which will prove satisfactory for the poultry house the uneven span root roof looks better on a single story house however cost must again be th emain consideration before actual construction is started it will be well to consult building supply dealers in order that costs of various types of material individual larmer farmer when dropping boards are provided chicken wire should be placed under the roosts boosts to keep the hens off the droppings when a pit Is provided instead or of th the 1 alt dropping boards it must be b built so that the chickens are kept out whenever possible the house should be constructed with the idea that considerable expansion will take place and that it can be added to laming iler her type of interior nests |