CHAPTER VII

ADDITIONS AND EXTRAS

Poultry could often be kept in the second story of a building if access to the ground could be secured. The cut (Figure 56) shows an easy grade up to an elevated door. The top and bottom boards are shown in place, but the entire front should be covered with slats. These can extend from the top board down to

FIG 56: RUNWAY TO SECOND STORY AND UPPER ROOM

the bottom board. The grade is so easy that fowls will readily pass up or down. By this plan a building can often be made to hold two flocks instead of one.

In a barn or stable loft one can fit up a warm and sunny room for early chicks, as shown at right of Figure 56. Low windows are put in under the eaves, and light studding is set up as suggested, being nailed to the rafters for the roof of the chicken room. Simply lay boards in place for the top, and fill in the space above with hay. Board up in front, leaving openings for doors. Cover the floor with chaff, and put the hens

and their chicks in here during February and March, and April, too, in the case of some states. The broods will do much better here than on the cold, wet ground.

Adding a Scratching Pen-The cut (Figure 57) shows the ordinary farm poultry house, to which an addition has been made in the form of a scratching shed, for use not only in the winter season, but also during rain storms at other times of year.

Such an open shed is also most convenient as a roosting place for growing chickens during the sum

FIG 57:

HOUSE WITH SCRATCHING SHED

mer. The front can have a frame, covered with cotton cloth, fitted to the opening and hinged at the top, to be let down at night in summer if desired, and on stormy days in winter, when snow would be likely to blow in if the front of the shed were left open. The cost of a shed built in this way is very small, as no floor is laid.

Poultry House Additions-The cut at the right of Figure 58 shows a way to utilize buildings already existing when constructing a poultry house. A hay barn or other structure having a long side toward the

south can be used as in the case shown here, where the high side of the poultry house has its boarding and framing already furnished free of cost. There is another great advantage in building poultry houses in this way; the added warmth that is thus secured. In cold regions this is a matter of great importance, making this plan exceedingly useful.

The open summer shed shown in Figure 58 at the left was recently seen in operation, and answering its purpose admirably. A "shed roof" was placed upon a corner of a board fence, the open side being toward the south. Here was protection for the fowls and cool quarters for the summer. A wire fence met the two

sides of the board fence, making house and yard all in one inclosure. Extra summer colonies can thus easily and cheaply be kept.

It is quite common to appropriate the sunny side of the barn, building out toward the south and eastward, for an aspect, which requires only a pitched roof and low front, with the ends well boarded and seambattened, to render the inclosure quite comfortable, stormproof, and sufficiently spacious for winter uses. In summer this can be used for laying and roosting purposes. If kept clean and free from vermin, it answers very well, costs but a trifle, and may be of any size that the barn side will afford for the back of it. There should be a few sashes inserted in front or at the ends,

where the sun can shine in, and this will make an economical house, as well as a useful one, in many cases.

Preparing House for Winter-Many farmers cannot afford to build a suitable house. There is the material about almost any farm for making the most open house one of the warmest. There is no expense

attached to it except the labor.

At each corner of the house (Figure 59) and about two feet out, set a post that will extend well above the eaves. If the coop is large enough to make it necessary,

other posts of a uniform hight and at the same distance from the walls of the coop can be set in the ground. The posts should not be more than from six to eight feet apart. Then about six inches from the ground staple a smooth wire to the posts, and another about two feet above, and so on to the top of the posts, requiring five or six wires. Then fill in between the posts and wires and the coop with hay or straw. Small poles or pieces of waste boards can be woven in the wires to keep the hay in place. When the eaves are reached, some material that will lead off the water should be put