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"EB 4 1903
MOV 4 1959.^
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LOW COST
POULTRY HOUSES.
PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR POULTRY BUILDINGS,
COSTING FROM $25 TO $100, WITH A CHAPTER
ON POULTRY HOUSE CONVENIENCES.
Second E^dition.
A Valuable, Practical Treatise for Amateurs
on Poultry Buildings.
....BY----
J. WALLACE DARROW,
Editor of "The Fanciers' Review," and Publisher of "Five Hundred Questions and
Answers in Poultry Keeping," "Art of Poultry Breeding," "A B C of Poultry
Culture," "Pigeon Queries," "Farmers' Institute Question Box
on Cattle and the Dairy, ' ' Etc. , Etc.
[copyright 1893.]
Chatham, N. Y.
The Fanciees' Review,
1899.
PUBLISHER'S PREFACE.
¥ ¥ ¥
So cordially have our previous little books for poultrymen been
received by both people and press, that we venture to send out
another entitled, " Low-Cost Poultry Houses." For such a publica-
tion we believe there is an open field.
In this little work we have attempted nothing elaborate. The
plans presented for poultry houses and poultry house fixtures and
conveniences, have been for the most part drawn and engraved
specially for this book, and the descriptions are those of buildings as
they now stand, not imaginary ** air castles." We have kept in mind
the fact that the majority of poultrymen are not millionaires and
they have no use for $i,ooo structures to house $ioo or $200 worth
of birds. The plans and specifications herein contained call for low-
cost poultry houses, none exceeding $100 we think, in cost; the most
under $50 or $75. We have tried to make each description explicit
so that, with the accompanying illustration, a poultryman may con-
struct a building after the plan which pleases him best, or he may
gather ideas from different plans from which he may formulate
something yet more satisfactory than anything herein described.
To those who have assisted us m this little work by furnishing
descriptions, plans and specifications, we tender our sincere thanks,
and they will be otherwise remunerated, and also to "The Rural
New Yorker" of New York city; the " American Farmer " of Wash-
ington, D. C; the "Poultry Monthly" of Albany, N. Y., and to Mr.
J. W. Russell of Vermillion, Dak., our thanks are likewise cordially
extended for the loan of plates.
Our chief desire is that this book may be helpful to those who
may desire to construct or re-model their poultry buildings after the
plans and suggestions here presented. J W. Darrow.
Note to Second Edition.
80 popular has been this little work, that we take pleasure in now present
ing the Second Edition, with some new features added, and some of the less
important old ones, omitted. An introductory article by Mr. J H. Davis,
on the general work of building the poultry house, follows. We believe this
book has been helpful to many; we trust this edition will also "go about
doing good." J. W. D.
Chatham, N. Y., January 1, 1899.
LOW=COST POULTRY HOUSES.
¥ ¥ ¥
INTRODUCTORY.
¥ ¥ ¥
Poultry Houses in General.
¥ ¥ ¥
By J. H. Davis.
The poultry house should be built substantial, according to cli-
mate, and according to the means of its owner. In the Southern
States, from the Tennessee line on toward the Gulf, the houses for
winter need not be built more substantial than the ordinary stable or
carriage house. Yet they should be made perfectly tight, but with
plenty of means of ventilation.
In my book, " The A B C of Poultry Culture," will be found
illustration of a house peculiarly adapted to the Southern States, in-
asmuch as it has my idea of ventilation, at the bottom, instead of at
the top. We reproduce the illustration here, so that all may see
what it is like.
DAVIS' BOTTOM-VENTILATED POULTRY HOUSE.
The above house is loxio feet square, 5 feet high at back and
6 feet high at front, boarded up and down and battened, tar paper
roof and lined with tar paper which is w/itye was/ted on the inside and
outside. The bottom ventilation consists of a strip of j^ or 5^ inch
tnesh wire around the bottom of the house on all four sides. The
13^7
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
perches for roosts are wood, square, and placed in the centre of the
house, thus : A dropping board slanting down the four sides with a
'I
WINDOW
GROUND PLAN OF HOUSE.
strip at the ends to keep the droppings from falling to the floor and
nest boxes under the dropping board, completes the interior arrange-
ment, which is cheap, simple and will answer the purpose. The
perches must be made to suit the number of fowls kept. And the
house may be made larger or smaller as required. The merit of this
house is its extreme simplicity and perfect cleanliness. Five minutes
work will remove the droppings and sweep the house. And any
person can build such a house in half a day.
At the North the poultry house, of necessity, must be built
strong and warm. It must also have means to ventilate it thoroughly
in warm weather. But the best plan to adopt is to roost the fowls all
out of doors from May to November. The birds will be hardier for
this treatment, and enjoy immunity from lice and mites that cause
so much work when fowls roost in the house.
Grout houses are substantial and fairly cheap. Brick houses can
also be built cheaply. A frame house, either boarded up and down
and battened and lathed and plastered, or weatherboarded and plas-
tered, makes a good house. Windows and doors may be put in at
option of the builder. In the summer, doors and windows may be
removed entirely and wire screens put over the openings to keep out
" varmints." Of course these buildings are intended for people who
can afford to construct them, and they may be made very plain or
ornamental as the builder may desire.
Good houses may be made on a cheaper plan by simply board-
ing up and down and battening, the walls and ceiling being covered
closely and well with tar paper. All should understand that in mod-
erate or very cold weather, no ventilation at all is necessary. Do
you want your window up when the mercury is hovering about zero ?
•LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
No. Understand, then, that the poultry-house can not be too tight
for cold weather, nor too open in hot weather.
For the comfort of the fowls, three rooms or apartments are
required.
For roosts, you want just room enough to hold the fowls, as
they are never on the roosts except at night, if they have other quar-
ters. Adjoining the roosts should be the nest-room, and at the end
of this, the scratching-room containing plenty of chaff or cut straw.
The floors should be of earth, raised a foot above the outside, so as to
insure dryness. Absolutely nothing is required in the roosting-place
but the roosts, which should be low trestles, on which lay poles. 1
prefer poles to 2x4 scantling which many use. When a fowl roosts,
it wants to grasp the perch with its foot. It cannot grasp a 2x4.
The nesting-room should be rather dark, as fowls prefer dark
nests to light ones. But the scratching-room and the roosting-room
should have plenty of light, the former more than the latter. Place
the water, grit, and dust bath in the scratching-room in such a
position that the birds cannot scratch the straw into the water
fountain.
Build your house substantial, so as to last just as long as your
dwelling lasts. Paint it, if you can afford to do so, every year.
Whitewash, and clean the inside out twice a year. Make your nests
permanent. Then you can take out the old straw, burn it, give the
inside of the nest-boxes a coat of pine tar, replace the nests with new
straw, and the thing is done.
The interior arrangements must be left to the builder. All have
different ideas, and a little experience will help you to determine any
necessary change. There are many plans of houses, and any one can
build as his circumstances warrant and necessity demands.
Some have an idea that a poultry house should be moved occas-
ionally; that the premises get foul if the house stands too long in one
place. But such is not the case. The poultry bouse and premises
can be kept just as clean and healthful as your own house and prem-
ises, during a lifetime, if you so will it. I have seen poultry houses
in which fowls had roosted for fifty years, and they were clean and
in good condition. The main thing in a poultry house is a good roof;
light in roosting and scratching rooms; ventilation in summer; dirt
floors, and rat proof.
I would not advise roosting over fifty fowls together. In hot
weather, if you have no outside advantages to roost the birds, no
trees, you may roost them in the scratching-room, which will not be
used much in summer, if you have gcod runs, or free range.
Practically there is no use at all of ventilators in a poultry house.
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES,
In winter they are useless, and in summer they amount to nothing,
as the open doors and windows will be sufficient to give the birds all
the fresh air that can be got inside of a house, unless the bottom or
wire ventilation is used, which allows the fresh air to come in, and
the foul air to go out, as foul air is heaviest and sinks to the floor,
while the pure or warmer air goes upward.
Build your house just where it will be the most convenient. If
the ground is low, raise it up. If too high, level down. Make the
house one story or two story, as you are inclined. Look over the
buildings as shown in " Low-Cost Poultry Houses," and you will get
what you want. If you can make any improvement on any of the
houses herein, so much the better. I have merely given you the
main points here, which you are at liberty to improve on or change
at your option. Roosting-houses are only necessary in winter. The
nesting, or laying-house, is necessary the year round.
COMFORTABLE POULTRY H0USE.--COST $34.
¥ ¥ ¥
The poultry house illustrated on the next page is one in which
convenience and comfort are the prime considerations. The roosting
and laying-house, which constitutes the main building, is 10x20 feet,
shown in rear side view at Fig. i in illustration. The front of the
building is eight feet high, with space of two feet between ground
run (H) and board floor above same, as seen in Fig. 2 of the illus-
tration. The height of roof above the floor is, therefore, six feet.
The rear posts of the building at point of junction with the shed are
five feet high. The shed adjoining the rear of the main structure is
16x20 feet, making with the space beneath floor in main building a
ground run of 20x26 feet.
At B is the passage way two feet wide extending the full width
of the building with door shown at C entering the hennery proper.
The outer entrance door is seen at A. The roosting perches are
shown at E, drop boards at F, nests at G and located under the drop
boards. In the partition back of the nests is a hinged board one foot
wide, through which opening eggs are taken from the nests. At 7 is
shown a trap door through floor to ground run.
The window in the shed roof is $x;^ feet and hinged to afford
ventilation in summer. At S S in both figures are shown openings
for ventilation four inches in diameter. The board floor in Fig. 2, as
before stated, is two feet above ground and can be covered with tar
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
paper on which several thicknesses of newspapers are first laid, and
on top of these another layer of tarred felt is tacked on with laths
two feet apart. This floor should be kept covered with sand or dry-
dirt about three inches deep. Coal ashes may also be used on it to
good advantage. Over the roosting drop boards tarred felt is also
put and this is kept covered with ashes.
The inside walls of the house are sheathed with slate paper, over
which is tacked a dozen layers or so of newspapers and then another
layer of slate or tarred paper. This house is water and wind proof
and so warm in winter that a pan of water will scarcely freeze
over in it.
FIG. 1.
FIG. 2.
Comfortable Poultry House.
[Plans and Specifications by Capt. W. A. Phillips, Chicago, 111.]
Capt. Phillips of Chicago, who furnished the description of this
building for this book, says: " In building my house I bought hem-
lock lumber, paying $9.50 per M. for 2x4s, and $11.80 for common
boards, and $12.50 where they were tongued and grooved. The run
under the house with the long shed run in addition, is an excellent
place for fowls at all times of the year and it is especially warm in
winter, giving also plenty of scratching room for the hens. In the
summer it is thrown wide open and the ends taken down, making a
lO LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES,
cool place and affording protection from rain and winds. In this
house, divided into pens, were kept last winter sixty-three fowls with
the loss of only one."
COST OF MATERIAL.
1,260 ft. matched boards, 100 2x2 in. scantling, 70 2x4 joists. . $20 60
2 windows for covered run i 50
5 small windows i 20
15 lbs. nails, hardware, etc i 25
Lath 40
5 squares roofing paper. 5 00
3 squares tarred felt for floor 3 00
8 squares sheathing paper. i 00
Total cost $33 95
A BUILDING COSTING ABOUT $80.
¥ ¥ ¥
The building shown at Fig. i of the accompanying engraving is
40 ft. front by 12 ft. in width, and same plans can be adapted to a
lean-to structure if preferred. The arrangement of interior is simple.
An alley 2 ft. 6 in. wide extends full length of building (see Fig. 4)
with a cross alley 4 ft. wide from which entrance is had to the pens.
Each pen is about 9 ft. square. The nests are so arranged as to be
accessible for gathering the eggs from the long alley. At Fig. 2 a
section of nest boxes and roosting perches is shown. The nests are
one foot square with an opening to each box in alley-way. The
location of the roosting perches and drop-boards may be seen at Fig.
3. The perches are on a hinged frame so that they may be turned
up out of the way when drop-board is cleaned.
The house is sided with boards. The windows are 3x5 ft. 2 in.
Partitions are boarded up 2 ft. from ground and above the boards
there is 4 ft. wire netting. The inside doors are simply frames
covered with wire. The following shows
THE COST OF MATERIAL.
1,300 sq. ft. matched boards, spruce $26 00
350 ft. 2x4 joist 4 00
300 ft. 2x3 scantling 3 50
4 windows. 20 00
250 sq. ft. wire netting — 3 75
300 sq. ft. tar roofing 6 00
Nails and hardware i 00
Labor of carpenter 18 00
Total cost $82 25
Each additional running foot front will cost about $2.25.
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
II
^
HI
EACM MCS*
jxaa
A l_ l_ E -V
iNlElslTlsr
9'
n 1 1 1 1 1
^i
I InIeIsItIsT
. 7-. l^ - 9'-
A Bui/ding Costing About $80.
Plans and Specifications by Frank Losee, Brooklyn, N. Y.]
12 LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
A CHEAP HOUSE.-COST 1^22.
¥ ¥ ¥
The poultry house shown herewith at Fig. i front view and Fig. 2
rear view is 10x25 ^^et and contains three pens. Two of them are
7/^x8^ feet and the other 10x8^ feet. The north side is 6 feet high
and the south side 4 feet. The material is $12 lumber, matched pine
7-8 inch thick. Gravel is used for the floor. The nest boxes and
nests are all in the hall so they can be easily reached. The roosts are
made so as to clean from the hall by lifting a six-inch board off the
back or pulling them out on a slide. There is one six-light window
in each pen, which is all that is necessary. The doors are made so as
to slide from one coop to another, except the last door, which is made
to swing. There is a hallway 2}^ feet wide, extending two-thirds of
the length of the building. The last coop is full width. There will
be required to construct this building:
700 feet of lumber $8 40
Nails -. 50
Labor 6 00
Screen 2 00
Three windows 3 75
Paint I 00
Total cost-. $2165
A PLAIN STRUCTURE FOR $30.
¥ ¥ ¥
The building here described is intended to accommodate thirty
fowls. Its construction is simple and easily understood from the
illustration. It is 30 ft. long, 10 ft. wide and 8 ft. high in front, 6 ft.
in rear. Roof is of tarred paper. The hall is 4x4 ft., from which
entrance is had to the pens. The light lines shown at either side of
entrance are to represent sliding doors which may be lifted to admit
a wheelbarrow into which the droppings may easily be swept from
drop-boards under the roosts. At the letters A A, a 6-inch board is
set up on edge and gravel is filled in from it to the outer side of pen.
The plan should show two scratching pens, the partition between the
two having been omitted in the drawing, however.
COST OF MATERIAL.
1,500 ft. common siding.. $18 00
300 ft. rafters, posts and plates 3 60
Windows 4 00
Tar paper for roof 3 80
Door fixtures, nails, etc 60
Total cost $30 00
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
>s
^^■
FIG. L
H ALU
OOOR
NESTS
ROOSTS
ROOSTS
7-6*x 8-5''
7- C x S*-5*
wimm/!»»i')„»A mnm^
I0'yt8''i>'
v//wwM///>w//fA smmei
FIG, 3,
A Cheap House. (Plans and Specilications by J. B. Jones, Batavia, N. Y.]
Fid. I.
FIG. ?
A Plain Structure. [Plans and Specifications by F. C. lELPrEU), Silver Creek, N. Y.]
14 LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
A $33 POULTRY BUILDING.
¥ ¥ ¥
A plain structure is that shown on following page, but one that
answers a good purpose for twenty-five or thirty fowls. It shows
plans for two pens only, but these can be duplicated on same plan to
the extent desired.
The building shov,rn at Fig. i is ioxi6 ft., and 9 ft. high in front,
and 5 ft. in rear. It is sided up and down with common matched
boards. Tar paper is used as sheathing, and the floor being double,
the paper is also used between floor boards. The roof is covered
with No, I shingles. Some may prefer ground floor, and if so, the
cost will be still less.
COST OF MATERIAL.
400 ft. common boards $4 00
220 ft. for flooring. i 75
400 ft. common boards for lining 3 20
200 ft. spruce or hemlock _ i 80
2 squares No. i shingles 4 00
Tar paper 2 10
200 ft. 2x4s, 10 ft. long 200
22 ft. 2x4s, 19 ft. long, for plates 22
96 ft. 4x6s, 1 6 ft. long, for sills 96
90 ft. 6x6s, 10 ft. long, mud sills 90
64 ft. 2x4s, 1 2 ft. long, for rafters 64
60 ft. common lumber for drop boards, nests, etc 48
Lath for partitions 60
Hardware i 80
Windows 2 40
Labor of carpenter 5 00
Total $31 85
The cost of lumber is figured at $ro per M for best grade; $8 for
second; $9 for hemlock, and $10 for scantling, etc.
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
IS
FIG. 1.
l(o'
^^ii:^:^^^^;^'^^^^^^^^:^^^^^
NESTS-
§
■NESTS-
v..' DROP B
DROP B
ROOSTS
ROOSTS
RUN
WATER
RUN
10'
OUST BOX
^^^
KS>^^tti^\\^4i^iVi5^
OUST BOX
^^^^^^^^^^^^^
1,\\\SV^SS\VW^
FIG. 2.
A $32 Poultry Bui/ding.
[Plans and Specifications by D. L. SoMEBViiiLE, Stewarttown, Ont. ]
l6 LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
SUNNYSIDE POUIiTRY HOUSE-COST $35.
¥ ¥ ¥
The accompanying cut shows ground plan with dimensions of a
poultry house with three apartments for three distinct breeds. The
size of main building is 18x24, with one door entering into a hall- way
which runs full length of building and is three feet wide, giving
ample room to run a wheelbarrow in to clean out the various com-
partments. Also a drop door is left on the nests, the back part of
which extends three inches into the hall and allows you to remove
eggs or examine nests without entering into the compartment where
the fowls are. The nests are to be made portable, so as to be easily
taken"out and cleaned when desired, giving them a thorough renova-
tion at will. The roosts are suspended near the centre of each pen
by wires at the four corners with a hook, making them portable and
very easily taken out and renovated. A dusting place is shown on
diagram in rij^ht hand corner of each pen, where the sun will keep it
dry, being right under the large windows; the size of it is 2x2x3,
being three-cornered. The dotted lines running lengthwise of the
building represent a six-inch board stood on edge on ground, forming
a litter or scratching apartment 4x8 feet. Soft-feed boards are shown
on diagrams in each pen, which are made 2x6 and lathed 18 inches
high, roof shape, all around; leavmg lath wide enough so that the
fowls can get their heads through to eat comfortably. This prevents
them from trampling the feed and spoiling it; this is made portable
and easy to clean. The doors to the various entrances are shown in
cut by x X X X. The cross lines thus — 1|— i— 1|— 1| are the partitions
separating each pen and are boarded tight 18 inches high, then lat-
ticed with lath or wire netting. The water troughs are made to slide
under the partition, which of itself forms a fence to keep fowls from
getting any more than their heads in to drink. The height of front
to eaves is 9 feet; the other one foot can be run up past and a board
put on which adds to the appearance of outside. The back is 6 feet
high, which allows a drop of 3 feet to 18, amply sufficient to run off
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
n
water. The two middle posts are shown in cut simply to give '&
plainer view of where the divisions are on inside.
COST OF MATERIAL.
480 ft. common boards for roof $7 68
600 ft. ship caps for sides and ends 10 80
40 pieces 2x4 12 ft., 10 pieces 2x4 18 feet 8 00
3 large windows i 00
3 small windows i 00
ICO pounds tar felt _ 309
30 ft. wire netting 4 ft. wide 1 35
5 bunches lath 88
Nails and lock i cto
Total cost...
The above does
CO
0
e.
-F a;
not include cost of labor on building.
West
$34 7.*
Soft Feed Board .
Perches hung frorr>
Celling bu Wire
at 4 Corneii
E0
PARTITION
1 1 I r I I \ 1 1 I I I
\/\/atsr
||M l|>H-t-^
Perches hung from
Celling by Wire
at ^Corners.
y]
C04-
P ART IT ION ,
I I I I I ■ I c I I I I I I I I I I I I I I i 1 I il
Water
Perches hung from
Celling by Wire
at 4- Corners.
Soft Feed Board
East
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES,
A HOUSE FOR FIFTY FOWL.S.-COST $32.
1» * *
This building is 1 2 ft. long, 8 ft. wide, 7 ft. high in front with 2 f^.
iaU. Ordinary boxing lumber battened with tin strips is used {qt
Riding nailed to a base and top frame of 2x4 in. stuff. The roof is
shingled. There are'lhree openings (two windows covered with wire
^letting and one large door), one small window in the rear, a large,
wihdow in the front side and the door in this end, as shown by the
illustration. The small window in rear end is 2 ft. wide, 3 ft. long,
4 ft. from the floor running i ft. from the left-hand corner, not to
extend over the platform; the window in front of building is 2 ft.
wide, 10 ft. long, 4 ft. from floor, running i ft. from either corner;
the door is 3 ft. wide, 5 ft. high and just opposite the rear window,
fn the bottom of the large door is an 8x12 in. slide door for the fowls
to pass out and in when the large door is closed. Boxing lumber is
used for flooring laid on 2x4 in. sleepers, the right-hand half of the
floor being i ft. above the base or left-hand half, making a platform
over which the roosting frame is placed, and under which the fowls
may go for shelter from hot sun and bad weather. The roosting
frame (C) is 9 ft. long, 3^2 feet wide, made of 2x4 in. stuff with 1x3 in.
perches every i^ ft. apart crosswise of the frame, the same being
suspended by wire from the rafters 3 ft. above the platform running
lengthwise from the rear end, thus leaving 3 ft. of this end of the
platform on which to set feed troughs, water vessels, etc., as the
lower floor is for litter and the dust bath. The nest boxes (A) are
made of boxing lumber and nailed to the siding of the building. The
lower floor and platform (B) are divided by a 12-in. board run-
ning lengthwise of the building. The object of the platform floor
under roosts is that it will be easier cleaned, and as the front part of
the floor will be used to scatter litter on, the other end of platform
will be used for feed troughs and water vessel.
COST OF MATERIAL.
350 ft. boxing lumber at $1.60... $5 60
150 ft. 2x4 in. plank at $t.6o.. ,.„ 2 40
350 ft. 1x3 in. stuff at $1.60 5 60
1 54 M shingles at $2 3 00
Hardware — nails, hinges, wire netting, etc... i 40
Labor — two men one day at $2. 4 00
Total cost $22 00
LOW COST POULTRY HOIJS^S.
19
A House For 50 Hens. [See Previous page.]
[Plans and Specifications by W, A. Thokp, Dallas, Tex ]
A HANDY POULTRY HOUSE— COST $28.
¥ ¥ ¥
The building shown on following page is 9x24 feet. Use for the
frame 2x4 hemlock scantlings if they can be obtained. Get six large
stones, four for the corners, and two to be placed 12 feet from the
corners on each side. Lay two 12 -foot scantling end to end for each
side. Upon these on the ends and in the middle lay the three nine-
foot cross-pieces and spike all together. Level carefully. Set up
the six uprights upon the extremities of the cross-pieces, the front
ones being four feet eight inches long, those at the back six feet
eight inches. Then put on the plates (12 feet 2x4 scantlings.) Two
pieces should be set in the frame at the back about three feet eight
inches above the sill to help to support the platform and for nailing
the siding to them. Then tack strips of tarred paper up and down
outside the frame at the back, and nail on the siding over it. There
are nine sets of rafters three feet apart. The scantlings are cut seven
feet four inches and three feet eleven and one-half inches, the long-
est measure. Old fence boards can be used for the piece which binds
them together, forming a truss. The rafters can all be framed before
they are set up, if one set is put together for a pattern.
Now set up the rafters, put on tarred paper crosswise, then the
roof boards. The ends are next sided, the tarred paper having been
first applied as before. Next comes shingling; the front is finished
last. Four windows z^zY^, are sufficient. A long scantling set in
90
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
t3,i>t
Fig. 5. Fig. '6.
4 Handy Po'iltry House.
[Plans and Specifications Furnished by The Kueal New Yoekeb.]
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES. »!
the frame forms the window sill and pieces of the same set up make
a frame for the window, which extends to the plate. The door frame
is five feet wide and three feet eight inches high. A frame of 2x4
scantling is made in the building as for a stationary table or counter,
and inch rough hemlock boards are nailed on lengthwise of the
building.
Crosswise of the building, about eight inches apart, are thirty-
four roost poles of 2x2 stuflE with the corners shaved off. The poles
are four feet long and fourteen inches above the platform.
Eighteen nests, 12 inches high and deep, and 14 mches wide are
placed under the front of the platform. The hens go in from the
back side at a hole 6x7 inches. A board shelf is put up on which
they can walk along to the nests, and a short ladder reaches to the
ground. The sides and bottom of the nests are of single boards 12
inches wide, with board divisions; but the front board is slit into
three pieces of equal width; the middle one being hinged at the bot-
tom and fastened with a button at the top, turns down, opening nine
nests at a time. The ladders upon which the hens climb to the roosts
are set out so that the turning down of the above pieces may not be
interfered with. These are merely boards with' cleats nailed across
them. If a ventilator is put in it should open near the ground.
Figure i is a cross-section of the building. Figure 2 is a cross-
section of a cheap three-section breeding-pen house (requiring about
400 feet of lumber.) Figure 3 shows the construction of the nests and
roosts. Figure 4 is a convenient arrangement for six breeding-pens
with yard (these are 26^x70 feet.) Figure 5 (5) is a wooden station-
ary feed box. Figure 6 (6) is a water trough of galvanized iron,
which any tinner can make. Figure 5 (7) is a long box with slats
across the top — a very convenient feeding box. Figure 6 (8) is a
perpetual feeding box for use in fattening fowls, feeding dry bran or
ground shells, bone, grit, etc.
COST OF MATERIAL.
400 feet matched pine, at $18 per M._.- $7 20
120 feet hemlock boards, at $13 per M i 50
230 feet 2x4 hemlock, at $13 per M 3 00
Shingles _ 6 75
4 windows, at $1.25 5 00
100 pounds tarred paper 2 50
Nails, hinges, etc 200
Total cost _. $27 95
No estimate is made for roof boards, as old fence boards were
utilized. One dollar's worth of oil and Venetian red should paint the
building twice over.
82. - LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
A HOUSE COSTING $32.
¥ ¥ ¥
The annexed sketch represents a poultry house suitable for a
person keeping a small number of fowls. The size of house is 38 ft.
long and 8 ft. wide, 8 ft. high in front and 6 ft. high in rear, in other
words, a lean-to shed with sufficient slope to the roof to shed the
water readily; 6 ft. on each side of this building is utilized as open
sheds. The 16 ft. in centre is boarded tightly all around except a
door in each end to admit to the shed on either end. In building the
house use either 2x4 or 3x4 scantling for posts, sills and frame work
of house; for weather boarding and roof use one-inch thick and 12-
inch wide hemlock boards, same to be placed up and down and cleat
with ordinary building laths to keep out draughts. The flat roof is
covered with standard roofing paper properly cleated and then
covered with two coats roofing paint. The house should front south,
and in front make two windows of 9x12 glass. Sheds are closed in
on all sides except front, where there is a wire-covered door 3 ft.
wide, 6 ft. high, the balance of front to be covered with wire in order
to admit sunlight.
In the sheds may be placed food and water for the fowls and
also a box 3x6 ft. for dust^bath; a box properly partitioned can also be
placed in the sheds for bone and oyster shells. This shed will afford
shade in the summer time and protection to fowls in the winter.
The main house is divided into two rooms 8x8, partitioned off with
wire, with 3 ft. hall on one side running the entire length of house,
partitioned off with wires or laths. In each room there is a platform
2 ft. high and 7 ft. long, under which place nests, using nail kegs with
part of one side cut out. In front of platform make a door i ft. wide
and 7 ft. long through which to get the eggs from nests. In making
platform 7 ft. long it will leave i ft. space in front for hens to go
tinder platform to lay. The top to platform should be on hinges to
raise up out of the way when it is necessary to clean behind it. Over
top of platform place roosting poles i)^ ft. apart and 2 ft.
above platform ; these roosts should be on hinges so as to be
thrown out of the way during day. The floor of house should be of
dirt unless in damp locality where board floor is best. Ventilator is
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES
■ H
FIG. J.
-z&-
7'
yy^^^^-^>>.^yy^x^>x'^^vy>'^^yyx'-v>yx'x'^y^^x'>y>^^^x'yy^y^yjvyyy/yy^^^
L
BO' IE
r
ROOSTS
7'-^'
ROOSTS
\
HoHc
Vf///J//y/^////JfA
r/y/yy///^/y/////y^77t
v/w/////////7r^?c
JUMi/^V.
w
/I Hoj!:>g Costing $32.
[Plans and Specifications by J. G. Longfellow, Clayton, Del.]
shown at top of house 2 ft. high and i ft. wide, and is to be closed in
winter time. No further detailed explanation of drawings is neces-
sary as they are self-explanatory.
COST OF MATERIAL.
850 ft. hemlock siding $13 60
262 ft. 3x4 scantling-
2 windows, glasses 9x12
Hoofing paper
Nails - - -
Hardware —
Wire netting... .-.
iiaths .-
Labor
feint --.
4
32
I
20
2
50
50
50
I
66
35
5
Ob
2
00
Total cost $31 63
«4 LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
AN $18 HOUSE.
¥ ¥ ¥
The accompanying figures illustrate a cheap and comfortable
poultry house. The posts are seven feet and the distance from
ground to ridge of roof is lo feet. The dimensions of the building
are 10x20 feet. The east side is covered by 1x3 inch strips two
inches apart. The south side is boarded up three feet from bottom,
stripped four feet, and then boarded to peak of roof. The north and
west sides are boarded up tight. This gives protection for cold
weather in a mild climate and is very cool in summer. In a
colder climate it would probably be necessary to board all sides of
building up tight.
The house is divided into four compartments by wire netting
with two 1 2 -inch boards at base, which is sufficient to keep cocks
from fighting. For roosts, I use pine trees about five inches in diam-
eter. The nest boxes are in the rear of each pen, as shown in illtis-
tration. In this house were kept four breeding-pens of fowls, one
cock and ten hens to each yard. They thrive well and were seldom
troubled with disease of any kind.
COST OF MATERIAL.
825 ft. I XI 2 boards, at $10 per M $8 25
200 ft. 1x3 boards, at $10 per M 2 00
iSoft. 2x3 for framing. pp
30 ft. 2-in. wire mesh six feet wide 50
Nails SO
Staples for wire netting i,o
4 pairs hinges with screws 60
Labor of one man two days, at $2.50 5 00
Total cost - $17 85
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
»S
FIG. 1-
_ 10'-
Exit
ROOSTS
I ROOSTS
Exrr
' 1
5*
1
NESTS 1 1
: 1 j NESTS 1
V
"^^
1
1 .11
•; 1 1 1 • - 1
EX.*
EHIT
s
1
OOOR
i OOOR
' y/iimiimm =1
FIG. 2.
An $18 House.
[Plans and Specifications by A. E. Shaw, Bay St. Louis, Miss.]
16 LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
A $100 POULTRY BUILDING.
¥ ¥ ¥
The building, Fig. i, is 16 feet wide and 32 feet long, with alley
three feet wide near the centre, the floor of which is two feet above
the floor of the house, thus giving a good, dark, quiet place for nests,
which are located under floor at A, Fig. 2, and are easily reached
through trap doors, B (shown at Fig. 4) in alley floor. The partition
between the roosting and laying pen and the scratching pen below
alley floor, is solid except a slide door i foot wide by i % feet high.
The scratching pens are 7x12 feet each and are lighted by the
window, C, (Fig. i), hinged at top, fastened with cupboard catch by
gravity and opened or closed from alley by cord. E, in Fig. 3, rep-
resents doors from alley into pens on either side. (The doors are
made of lath.) One short board forms a step, F, making it easy to
go from alley into pens. The dust bath boxes, G, are 2 feet wide and
6 inches deep and two feet above them are the platforms, H, to catch
the droppings; one foot above these are the roosts, I.
By means of the lower windows, C, sufficient light is provided in
the scratching pens and by the upper windows, K, good light is given
for the dust baths, G, in the north part of the pen. In the summer,
the sun being high, no direct sunshine enters either part of the pen
and by keeping both sets of windows open it makes a very cool place
for the fowls. The nests, below alley floor, are i foot deep and 1)4
feet square, open at top and about two-thirds of the way down the
south side. They have a small piece of narrow board nailed across
the bottom and extending out on the south side for a step for the
hens in going on and ofE the nest.
The building is constructed of hemlock lumber and covered
entirely with roofing paper and cost complete about $3 per running
foot.
COST OF MATERIAL.
2,500 ft. hemlock, at $15- $37 50
1,500 ft. Neponset roofing 15 00
18 sash, 6 lights, 8x10 9 00
50 lbs. 8d wire nails i 50
10 lbs. 2d wire nails _ 25
I hasp, 2 hooks, 36 pair 2-in. butts, 2 pairs 6-in. T hinges — 2 00
500 laths - - I 50
Carting 4 5©
Carpenter work.. 25 00
Boxes for nests 50
Posts for foundation i 50
Total cost $98 25
If a man happens to be handy with carpenters' tools and does
the work himself, the $25 then could be saved, thus reducing the cost
to about $70.
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
27
FIG. 2.
no. 3.
G
6
I &
««. ,
r
F
1
i [Z?D
C
■1 ^
SCATSHIN* PiK
- < z' -
EXIT.
£.
F
FIG. 4.
A $100 Poultry Building.
[Flans and Specifications by F. A. Eappleye, Farmer, N. Y.]
S8 LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
A CANADIAN POULTRY HOUSE.-COST $65.
¥ ¥ ¥
The accompanying sketch illustrates a convenient hous9 for
fowls, the cost of which, not including labor, was $54 52, The build-
ing is 14x32, and 7 ft. high at front and 5 ft. at rear. Only a short
section is shown in the cut. The roof is sheathed with inch hemlock
covered with tar paper, over which No. 1 shingles are laid 5 inches to
weather. Windows and doors are all double. Front and ends are
sided with V joint matched stuff and painted; rear is covered with
common rough lumber. This completes the outside.
There are two pens, 6x14, one at each end without floor, with
ground dust box in each just in front of window. The other 20 ft. is
divided into three pens, two of them are 11x8 ft. each, and one is
11x4 ft. There is a 3 ft. hall running full length of the 20 ft., and a
door on each end to get into the exercise room. Fowls go through
slide doors which are 8x10 in. All outside walls are grouted between
outside siding and inside lining; grouting is made rich with lime.
Lathing and plastering, one good heavy coat, completes the inside
walls. Pens are divided 2 ft. up from bottom with ^ in. base-boards.
Then to ceiling there is lattice work. The doors into pens are lat-
tice work also. Roost poles are 2x4 in. rounded on top corners and a
groove ploughed down the centre 1-8 in. wide by ^ in. deep to within
2 or 3 in. of either end for coal oil as lice preventive, bottom of same
is well painted with pine tar. The perches rest on brackets at ends
2j4 ft. from floor; drop boards are under roosts and nests are under
drop boards which form top of nest boxes.
The middle or small pen is used for sundry purposes. The 20x14
ft. is double floored with rough pine.
The expense is exclusive of labor, which might add $15 to^total
cost if a carpenter were employed.
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
«9
HALL 3-
A Canadian Poultry House.
[Plans and Specifications by D. L. Someevillb, Stewarttown, Oni]
COST OF MATERIAL,
3 4x6 in. 20 ft $1 40
2 4x6 in. 32 ft - I 53
6 4x6 in. 14 ft - 2 16
30 2x4 in - - 2 00
560 ft. common flooring 448
1,000 ft. good culls - ---- 6 00
400 ft. dressed siding - 8 00
5 square No, i shingle - 10 00
Windows 9 60
Hardware - - i 5°
Tar paper 3 00
Lath and plastering 4 75
Total cost - $54-52
39 ;,Oyf, COST POIJLTRY HOUSES,
BLYTHECOTE POUIiTRY HOUSE.
¥ ¥ ¥
These buildings are located on the farm of J. D. Tompkins,
Brainard, N. Y., and are models of convenience. In size the struc-
ture is about 14x32 ft., divided into compartments 8x10 ft., with a
hallway in rear of pens four feet wide. The figure of the ground
plan herewith gives detailed information in itself. The partition
along the hall is made of wire netting down to within 16 inches of
the floor and below this are small rounds two and a half inches apart,
through which the fowls feed and drink from a trough and dishes
placed on hallway floor close to the partition. The pen partitions are
of wire also down to within three feet of floor, then they are boarded
up tight.
Ventilators, one for each pen, are provided in the shape of a
chimney made of boards running from the floor up through and
above the roof with an opening at the floor to ventilate in winter by
drawing out the cooler air which lies near the floor, also with an
opening in the ventilators near the top of the room for use in the
summer to take out the hot air near the ceiling, one to be closed
when the other is open according to the season or as occasion
requires; each being operated by a cord from the hall.
The perches are arranged about three feet from the floor above
a platform and on a level with each other. About one-third of the
floor of this platform is something like sixteen inches above the floor
of the building and then turned up at an angle of 45 degrees, making
it an easy task to remove the droppings — which is done once each
week, to an open shed provided with a bin for the purpose. Under
the platform at the low side is arranged movable nest boxes, while
under the inclined part a dust box is made, in which the fowls enjoy
the great luxury of a dust bath in wmter, located in front of a win-
dow that comes to the floor. The floor of the apartments occupied
by the fowls is covered with fine gravel and sand to the depth of two
or three inches, the feeding and watering being done from the hall-
way with only wire netting for partitions, the birds may be seen and
cared for with neatness, pleasure and dispatch, while nothing is
wasted or made unwholesome by getting into their dishes.
I.OW COST PCmLTRY HOUSES.
31
BIyihecoie Poultry House — Ground Plan.
3»
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
At Fig. 3 is shown a transverse section of the building and at
Fig. 5 is a section of the nests and perches, with drop boards all of
which are self-explanatory in the cut. This structure is, of course,
more expensive than most of those described in this book, yet the
reader will gain many valuable hints and suggestions from a detailed
study of these very excellent plans.
TYYinsye-rse Sfrfroa at CO.
BIylhecoie Poultry House.
[Plans and Specifications Furnished by The Poultry Monthly, Albany, N, T.]
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
33
A STRUCTUKE COSTING ABOUT $25.
The accompanying sketch shows general plan of a poultry house^
that need not cost over $25. It is furnished by Mrs, John S. New-'
nam of Kent Co., Md. The first figure shows a cross section of
building giving arrangement of nest boxes. The building is 24 feet
long, 12 feet wide (See next page.) It is divided into three sections.
A roost room 8x12, a scratch room 12x12, an egg room 4x12. The
north side is boarded up. The door near the end opens from the
yard into the egg room. The nests are boxes on shelves. The boxes
can be drawn through, so as to take out the eggs without going into
the next room. There is a door from the egg room to the scratch
room, where the shelves, are. There is a door from the scratch room
to the roost room, also to yard. The door between roost and scratch
room is a slat door; on the bottom of it is a smaller door, which can
be lifted up; it has a liitle strap on it and hooks up on the large door.
"Lj^1_j'
U"1XU'
j|u|l-j|Lj|Lr|lj|LJ]LJ
.r|iTJlj|iJ"|u|Lj|iJ
UiiJ^ y/iLwlO pBt^
i"<- ffr
Oc>\;1T<-N "R»0l»1-
CRO^S SECIIOM SHOWING ARRANGEMENT OF NEST B:JXES.
There is a small door in the roost room for ihem to go in and out
The house faces to the south, has drop windows in each of the end
sections eight feet long by two feet wide. They have wire netting
over them on the inside, so that the doors oiily have to be up in
extreme cold weather. The middle section has a door and a sash
that admits light and sunshine when the others are closed.
The posts around the yard are chestnut and cedar. The bottom
board is a foot wide, then a three-inch space, another board of
cypress fence boarding; at the top of that is stretched a four-feet-
wide v/ire netting. The frame of the building was made from trees
^
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
that grew on the farm. They were haule<-1 to the saw-mill and sawed
fnto sills, posts and weather-boardina:. When it was finished and the
expenses added up the whole cost was about $20. Every one that
has seen it pronounces it a verv convenient hen-house. The plan
iffa.^ original with the Baltimore Weekly Sun.
CO
<^
0"
a
-^o^
V
;^
A
j Porteqn foHMim $,„ ►v-p;
Sh:.lves for neits.
^
^
A
\
n
[rian luinislieil by Mes, John M. JsitwN >m, Keat Uo. iSld.J
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES. 35
POULTRY HOUSES COSTING UNDER $35.
¥ ¥ ¥
The following Six Articles are Taken from " The Fanciers' Review " and are With-
out Illustrations.
¥ ¥ ¥
To build a poultry house for 25 hens for $25, I should build in
size 10x16 ft; back 4>4 ft., front 7>4 ft. hig^h, to be divided into two
pens 8x10 ft., window in middle of each pen, 7x9, 12 lights, door in
■end south-east corner. It should be boarded with matched spruce
12 ft. long; it will take 700 feet. Walls to be boarded perpendicular,
and roof in same way. Then a 12 ft, board will cut into two pieces,
each for wall boardmg, S.^hedule would be:
156 ft. spruce scantling $17 per M $ 2 65
700 matched spruce, $16 i r 20
2 windows, 7x9, 12 lights i 60
I bunch lath 25
5 squares roofing 2 06
10 pounds 8d. nails 50
Hardware 50
Carpenter, two day's time 5 00
Total cost $23 70
Sills 2x9 are to be set up edgewise and filled with gravel inside
to make a dry floor. There are two scantlings to nail roof boarding
to, besides the plates. Drop boards are two feet wide and the same
from floor, roosts one foot above drop boards, to be in back side of
house, nest boxes under drop boards, partition in centre of house,
making two 8x10 pens, each having a window in front.
Lewis B. Paine.
A model poultry house for 25 hens that need not cost over $25,
should be 13 feet wide by 14 feet long, with a hallway 3 feet wide
running the entire length of the house. It should be 7 feet high at
front and four feet high at back with flat felt roof. The hallway
divided from the pens by a partition of wire netting down to within
2. feet of the floor below, which are lath two inches apart; leave as
many holes in partition next to the floor as you want nests; for nest
boxes use nail kegs with one side sawed out and when you gather
eggs turn around the keg so the opening will be in the hall.
Do the saime when the hen wants to sit, then the rest can't get to
lier; at the same time she can get feed and water. Do all feeding
36 LOW COST POULTRY HOUSFS.
and watering in troughs in the hall as the hens will eat '■hrough the
slats and cannot foul the water or feed. This does away with going
into the pen except to clean.
This house is divided into two pens, each pen 7x10, giving room
for r2 hens and cock. In front of each pen put a window with shut-
ters to close at night. For perches use 2X2's seven feet long, placed
over a trough made of boards 14 inches wide running the entire
length; under perches put sifted coal ashes. A. J. Tobv.
«-♦-»
The ideal poultry house must cost little. Keep the fowls healthy
and profitable, and save labor. It must stand on well drained or
naturally dry soil, and surface water must at all times be kept out.
{Set cedar or chestnut posts deeply and cut off six inches above the
ground. On these put sills 2x8 inches. Buiid a light frame the sides
covered with boards over which heavy tarred felt is fastened by lath.
The roof is boards covered with 2-ply prepared roofing, and is placed
just high enough to walk under comfortabl)', and slopes gently. The
entire length is 32 feet by 10 feet wide.
First comes an open shed six feet wide with door in outer wall at
front. Next a felt covered board partition with door at front, then a
10x10 feet pen, a lath partition with door, another 10x10 feet pen
and another felt covered partition and door, a six-foot shed at other
end of building with door. The ends of building, enclosing sheds
need not be felt covered. The open ends of sheds face the south.
A 12 light 10x12 inch sash, with wire netting inside, must occur in
each pen at the south side. Holes 6x8 inches are provided to let
hens into the sheds on sunny days. Coarse wire netting covers the
open fronts of sheds in winter to keep the hens off the snow. A
scratching box seven feet long by four feet two inches wide by ten
inches deep is set level against the inside partition and the back wall,
twenty inches from the ground. Twenty inches above this a level
platform, seven feet long and 25 inches wide with eight inch cleats at
each end extending upwards and beveled both ways towards the
end--, form a rest for a one and one-half by four inch by seven foot
movable roost-bar. The other pen is furnished in the same way,
against the opp-^site corner. Three nail kegs each with holes cut in
sides, make good nests. Use pine saw dust in nests. Provide cut
hay or straw in scratching boxes in which scatter grain often and
change every two weeks. Pat springs on all pen doors so they close
quickly behind you. Dispense with all ventilators. In hot weather,
fasten the doors open a trifle. Feed soft feed and oyster shells on
sills. Drive a few four-inch wire nails through a narrow board and
tack on a sill. On these stick beets and cabbage. Put corn in hop-
pers and arrange with windlass, rope and pulley to let hens eat ia
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSFS 37
evenings, then elevate out of reach of rats. The whole ground floor
is available to hens and is easily cleaned. Put a load of sand in the
shed one fall and the next fall put it in the pen and draw in more.
This building need not cost over $25 if you do the work. No
better poultry house can be built at any price. Plymouth Rocks,
Wyandottes and similar breeds will not freeze at 20 degrees below
zero. In cold weather heat the drinking water two or three times a
day. Put the timid and young fowls in a pen together. Birds of the
same breed do best together. For a larger number of fowls, and at a
greater expense, a house can be bui't to save a good deal of labor
over this one, but limited space prevents a description.
J. H. Nellis.
"How shall I build my poultry house?" is a question which every
one who is about to embark in the poultry business asks himself. I
shall answer: As eight feet of floor space is required by each fowl,
the building must be built 12x16 feet to allow of enough room.
Build the house of sod, if in the prairie states, or of stone if it is
handy, as a frame building cannot be made warm enough to keep
down diseases for $25. if lumber costs $25 to $30 per M., as it does
here in Kansas. Baild the back or north side six feet and the south
side four feet. The north roof should be one-half pitch and six feet
long; the south roof three-eighths pitch and ten feet long. South
roof to contain a hot-bed sash to provide plenty of light. This
should be covered with a double blind at night to retain the heat.
A double thickness of glass is better and answers the same purpose.
Make the roof of shingles.
The frame now constructed, proceed to give the inside a good
plastering so as to prevent lice from gaining a foothold, a point
worthy our consideration. Now give all the inside of the building a
good coat of whitewash. Make an opening large enough to give the
fowls an opportunity for egress and ingress on the south side. Leave
the doorway in the east or west end near the north side. Make ven-
tilator in top of building so as to let out the once breathed air and let
fresh air in at the bottom. Avoid the four-section tube ventilators,
or you will regret it when you lose your best birds with roup, etc.
Make your perches of round poles from your woods, three nches
in diameter, or of 3x4*8 rounded at the upper corners. Place these
over a platform elevated one and one-half or two feet from the floor.
Make four platforms of ten two-inch boards with 1x3 inches furring
around the edge to prevent the waste of droppings and also to save
labor as, if the hens walk on the droppings, some of them will stick
to their feet and be daubed on the perches. The furring also assists
38 LOW COST POULTRY HOUSFS.
the heavy fowls in getting on and off the roost. Under this roost
platform you can set your hens. Use wire nest boxes, as they can be
burned when the house is fumigated. Mike your dust box 2x3 feet
and 9 inches deep. Provide a box to be filled with gravel, lime,,
charcoal and cut bone. Place them in the lightest part of the house
and everything is ready for business. Orlen A. Lewis,
I have a poultry house 8x24 and keep 27 chickens in it. I have
it divided into three pens 8x8 each, and eight hens and cock or cock-
erel in each pen. The coop can be built for $25, or even less, as any
one may wish. All it needs is two sticks 2x6, 24 feet long; i, 2x6 and
16 leet long; 2 sticks 2x4, 24 feet long; 6 2x4 and 17 feet long for
rafters and it won't take a thousand feet of lumber to make it seven
feet in front and five behind, with three window sashes three feet
square, one for every eight feet. I have the roof covered with felting
and papered inside with vermin proof building paper, and it makes a
cheap and warm coop for the size and money. Charles Hurt,
Get six large dry goods packing poxes. Place them side by side
fronting south, on timbers. Pat glass window sash in east side of
east box. Same in south front of next box, and of next also; make
doors opening in south front of boxes four, five and six. Remove
bottom from boxes i, 2 and 3. Leave bottom in 4, 5 and 6. Fill
bottom of I, 2 and 3 with earth, gravel or coal ashes. Put three
roost poles in 4 and 5. Six is the nest room. Cut 18 inch opening
from 5 to 6. Remove partition between 4 and 5 to allow roost poles.
Cut iS-inch openings between i and 2 and 2 and 3, and 3 and 4.
Cover all the boxes with roofing paper. The doors will give access
to nest boxes and for cleaning B. ror of roost rooms. Openmg for
hens may be in glass sash of No. 2 by taking out one glass and fixing
slide in its place. This is an invention of my wife who also did all
the work except the necessary sav.ing. Cost did not reach $500.
We kept 25 mixed Leghorns in this house. The small rooms retain
nearly all the animal heat so that no comb froze during our very
severe winters. The hens were allowed to run out during the day
time. Snow shoveled away from south front so as to give exercise
and feeding ground 10x20 feet upon which litter from horse stable
was occasionally spread to give scratching exercise. We got eggs
in plenty. Tnese hens laid as well as did our choice stock in our
$100 house. We got from 10 eggs per day in December to 22 per
day in March. This is as good a house as any one can make where
results only are sought, George A, Gowdy.
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSF.S. ^'^
Plan of lIoiiie=3Iade Incubator.
^ ¥ ¥
With the aid of the accompanying i]lustration.s, but little diffi-
culty need be experienced in making an incubator, and as the one
here described is in general use, it has been fully tested and found
to perform all that may reasonably be expected. Fig. i represents
the interior of the incubator.
It will be noticed that there are an outer and inner box, with
sawdust between them — chaff or any such material will answer.
The outer box is 48 inches long, 44 wide and 36 high. The inner
box is 40 inches long, 32 inches wide, iS inches deep, and holds a
tank 32x36 inches. The outer measurements are used in measuring
boxes. A is the outer box and B the inner. C C are strips one inch
wide and one inch thick, wnth iron rods ^ of an inch thick (F F)
upon which the tank rests. D D are similar strips (but no rods) for
supporting the ^'g^ drawer. E is a i}4 inch tin tube, two feet long,
which admits air into the ventilator (>pace under ^g<g drawer). The
ventilator is five inches deep, and is of the same length and width as
the tank. Fig. 2 shows a sectional plan. A is a tube extending
through the incubator into the tank. B is a faucet for drawing off
water. C is the egg drawer. D is the tin air tube. The egg drawer,
Fig. 3, is four inches deep, outside measurement, and should be
made of light material. It is 39 inches long and 30 inches wide, con-
taining three movable trays, 1 )4 inches deep, and of size to fit in the
drawer. The bottoms are thin strips (one inch wide and one inch
apart, to both drawer and tray.--) over which muslin is tightly drawn
and tacked. The tank is seven inches deep. The faucet is detach-
able, and screwed in when desired, on a thread. The tube on top is
seven inches high. The front of the egg drawer is also boxed off
and filled with sawdust.
It requires about 1 15 feet of lumber (inch tongued and grooved
boards), and the cost of the tank is about $5. The plan of the tank
is show at the sectional view given. When completed the incubator
is simply a box, having this appearance — see Fig. 4.
In building, one may follow any plan that may be preferred, as it
is not necessary to conform to any particular design. Have the floor
close. All that is necessary is to make a warm room for keeping the'
eggs at a uniform temperature; but do not attempt to have any tubes
for the escape of air. Opening the drawers to turn the eggs provides
sufficient ventilation.
DIRECIIONS FOR OPERATING.
Each tray holds about 80 eggs, laid in promiscuously, the same as
in a nest, making the total number for incubator 240 eggs. First fill
40
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
Fig. 1.
■^
A
Saw Dust
\
Tank
B
Egg Drawer
r
pVENTtLATORin
.0
Fio. 2.
Fig. 4.
A Home-Made Incubator.
I,OW COST POULTRY HOUSES. 4X
the tank with boilin^j water, but never allow it to remain in the tube
on top, as It thus increases pressure ; hence when the tank is full to
top of tube, draw off a gallon of water. Fill it 48 hours before put-
ting eegs in, and have heat up to 115° before they are put in. As the
eggs will cool down the heat, do not open the drawers for six hours,
when the heat should be 103°, and kept as near to that degree as pos-
sible, until the end of the hatch. It is best to run it a few days with-
out eggs, to learn it thoroughly. Place incubator in a place where
the temperature does not fall below 60°. As the heat will come up
slowly, It will also cool off slowly. Should the heat be difficult to
bring up. or the eggs be too cool, you can raise or lower the trays,
using small strips under them. You can also stop up or open the air
tube in the front opening of the ventilator whenever you desire.
When the eggs are put in, the drawer will cool down some. All that
is rt q-iired then is to add about a bucket or so of water once or twice
a day, in the morning and at night, but be careful about endeavoring
to get up heat suddenly, as the heat does not rise for five hours after
the additional bucket of water is added. The cool air comes from
the ventilator pipe, passing through the musUn bottom of the egg-
drawer to the eggs. Avoid opening the egg-drawer frequently, as it
allows too much to escape of heat, and be careful not to open it when
chicks are hatching, unless compelled, as it causes loss of heat and
moisture at a critical time.
Cold drafts on the chicks at that time are fatal. Do not oblige
visitor.^. Be sure your thermometer records correctly, as half the
failures are due to incorrect thermometers, and not one in twenty is
correct. Place the bulb of the thermometer even with the top of the
eggs, that is, when the thermometer is lying down in the drawer,
with the upper end slightlv raised, so as to allow the mercury to rise,
but the bulb and eggs should be of the same heat, as the figures
record the heat in the bulb, and not in the tube.
Turn the eggs twice a dav at regular intervals — six o'clock in the
morning and six o'clock at night. Do not let them cool lower than
70 degrees. Turn them by taking a row of eggs from the end of the
tray and placing them at the other end, turning the eggs by rolling
them over with your hand. By removing only one row you can roll
all the rest easily. Give no moisture the first week, very little the
second, and plenty the third week. D > not sprinkle the eggs. For
moisture, put a wet sponge, the .siz5 of an e^o; (placed in a flat cup),
in each tray the second week, and two sponges in each tray the third
week. Do not put in sponges until you are about to shut up the
drawer, after turning. Wet the sponges by dipping in hot water.
After the first ten days the animal heat of the chicks will partially
assist in keeping up the temperature. Be careful, as heat always
drops when chicks are taken out. Yon can have a small glass door
in front of the e^o: drawer, to observe thermometer, if desired.
Always change position of trays when the eggs are turned, putting
the front one at the rear. After the fourteenth day spray the eggs
twice a day with water warmed to no degrees, using an atomizer,
and do it quickly.
[For tlip (ibove article, written by P. TT. jAr-oFs, witli the illustrations, -we are in-
debted to that excelleut actriiuiltnral journal, The Uukal Nkw Yokkkk While soiiie
may prefer to construct th ir own incubators, most iioultryrnen will liiid it more satis-
factory to buy one of the many excelleut machines now on the maiket.j
42
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
A HOME MADE BROODEli.
The brooder herewith described is simple and cheap. The tank
A in Fig. i consists of a three-inch iron pipe eight feet or more long
screwed up with a cap on each end. Through one end is bored a
hole, through which a one-inch pipe B runs up nearly to the other
end of the tank. On this pipe B outside is screwed a T, standing
xipright. Oa top of this T is a small cock E and below the T is a
one-fourth inch pipe with valve and union. A hole bored on the
underside of the tank very near the cap has a one-fourth or three-
eighths inch pipe screwed in for the backflow F\ this also has a valve
and union. Another hole bored on top of the tank for a piece of
one-inch pipe C for pouring in the water; when filling ihe tank the
cock E ought to be opened so as to let out the air. A small piece of
one-fourth-inch pipe D connected by a rubber hose reaches a pan on
■^^- -^' — -I L
\ I
FIG. 1. SECTION OF BROODER BOILER.
FIG. 2. SECTION OF THE BROODER.
the floor for the overflow. The oil stove or lamp G is for heating.
This heater works very steadily, is cheap and will last a long while.
Having built the boiler, the box is made around it. Each partition
of the brooder is two feet long and seven or eight inches wide. In
the back is a glass door sixteen inches long for convenience in clean-
ing out, and looking in. The front partition i, as shown in Fig.- 2,
consists of three pieces of glass arranged to slide or to be taken out
at will. The front box, or first run, 4, is covered with glass. It con-
tains a pane to lift up for putting in the feed. After the chickens
grow bigger partitions i and 2 are removed and the little ones
allowed to run down on board 3. A fence two feet high of one inch
wire mesh separates each fl )ck. It is not advised to put more than
thirty chicks together, else they will crowd and kill each other.
I.OW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
43
Coops and Other Conveniences.
¥ ¥ ^
The variety in chicken coops is almost endless. Every poultry-
man has his own notions of the coop that will answer his purposes
best, yet we take this opportunity to present a few illustrations of
coops and other conveniences which may be used as patterns or may
be taken as suggestive merely.
At Fig. I, there is shown an
improvement on the ordmary
coop with fixed slats. Here the
slats are made into a door which
is hinged. It is to be closed
during the day, and at night it
IS thrown open and the screen
door, shown at top of coop, is
thrown down. This door should
be so hung as to allow it to lie
Fig. r, flat on top of the coop when not
in use. The screen admits air and does not allow the chicks to stray
into "outer darkness" nor midnight prowlers to crawl within. It is
cheaply constructed and the cut explains itself.
COOP WITH DRY RUN.
The coop shown at Fig. 2, is intended for small chicks. It is made-
of an ordinary size dry goods or boot box, the lath portion bemg
intended for a dry run for the chicks when grass and ground is wet.
It may be of any length desired,
and may be constructed of scant-
ling for corner parts and frame,
with lath nailed to sides of box
and extending out in front as
far as necessary. The inner
gate or lifting door, is to keep
chicks within box during storms. PiQ 2.
Its construction is obvious. The run section can, of course, be
extended to any desired length.
44
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
A COOL WEATHER COOP.
A coop for cool weather is shown at Fig. 3. It is something in
which chicks will delight if they are hatched out so early in spring as
to make out-door exercise impracticable. The general construction
of the coop is obvious. It is, say,
4 feet long, 2]/^ feet wide with a
glass covered run in front of about
2 feet. The highest part of roof
should be about 30 inches, rear 14
inches. There should be a board
Fig. 3. partition between main coop and
run, with openings in bottom to allow the chicks to enter the glass-
covered run. Wire or even lath may be used for this partition, the
idea being simply to keep the hen out of the run, which is intended
for the sole use of the chicks. The sash in the annex should be
moveable or hinged at upper part. It is well to construct the coop
with a floor to be kept covered with sand or ashes, particularly in the
chicken run, or if it is located on dry ground the floor is not necessary.
Set the coop facing the sun so that its rays may fall on the gla«!s and
then watch your chicks disport themselves even when the tempera-
ture is low without.
ATBROODING PEN.
At Fig. 4. a brooding pen is shown, or rather there are two pens
in the illustration. These may be built in sections of two, and placed
in the most convenient places in and about the poultry house or yard.
The size should be 4 feet square
and three feet high. The lid is
for convenience in attending to
the sitting hen. The front of
pen is a wire screen. The nest
is at A in the illustration, the
side of pen being removed to
show it. The nest should be a
box 16 or 18 inches square, open
at one side, with a door to cover
opening in case the hen becomes
"cranky " about sitting quietly on
nest. Each pen should, of course, Fir.. 4.
be supplied with feed and drinking vessels, and floor should be
covered with sawdust. Much depends on the success you have in
managing your hens when sitting on a clutch of valuable eggs, and
you will find this contrivance a good one.
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSFS.
45
NEST BOXES FOR EGG-EATING HENS.
If a poultryman is troubled with egg-eating hens, we commend
the style of nest boxes shown, herewith at Fig. 5. The nests are dark
inside, hence the hens cannot see to consume the eggs, and some
claim that a dark nest is an induce-
ment to laying. The box is about
five feet long, 18 inches high in
rear and eight inches front. At
the right-hand corner is shown the
entrance to the nests, and it should
be about eight or ten inches wide.
Fig. 5. The cover is, of course, to be closed
except when eggs are being gathered Use common inch boards in
the construction of the nests; no detailed description is necessary for
anyone handy with hammer, saw and nails.
A LIGHT SHIPPING COOP. .,
In these days of high express charges, a light shipping coop is
very desirable. A good one is shown at Fig. 6. It is easily and
cheaply made. The bottom, which is of light matched boards, may
be made about two feet by two
and a half, and the top about one-
quarter the width of the bottom
and same length. If preferred,
you can tack some cheese cloth
over the crate before the slats are
nailed on, and where good, strong
cloth is used some of the slats may
be dispensed with, thus lightening Fig. 6.
the coop. It ought not to weigh over 8 or 10 pounds when completed.
A FEEDING BOX OR RACK.
T
n
"XT"
Fig. 7.
Fig. 7 is a feeding box or rack
for fowls. The bottom is a
board say five feet long, or as
much longer as is desired, with
two cross pieces beneath to pre-
vent warping. A two-mch strip
is nailed around the edges ta
keep feed in place on the board.
The box or crate is then set upon the platform, as shown in the illus-
tration, the door in top of same being intended to admit the feeding
and drinking vessels. This feeding box prevents waste of feed and
keeps it and the water from being polluted. It is very serviceable.
46
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
CRATE EOR SHIPPING CHICKS.
While speaT^ing of shipping fowls, let us call attention to the little
basket (Fig. 8,) for shipping chickens. As it is not improbable that
in the future chicks rather than eggs will be bought and sold, it will
be necessary to have a convenient
and well-adapted basket for that
purpose. Here we have it. The
basket is made of white oak splints,
as they combine lightness and
strength, and is lo inches deep.
Its other dimensions may conform
to the needs of the shipper. The
cover is of stout wire netting and
handles on each end make it con-
venient of handling. With the six
apartments quite a number of chicks can be shipped without over-
crowding. Where it is not practicable to use splints for the sides and
bottom of the crate, any light wood can be employed. Poultrymen
will find this little contrivance a very practical one when in need of
something to convey chicks, or even fowls if the depth of basket be
a little greater.
A ROOST CONTRIVANCE.
Fig. 8.
There is, we believe, serious objection to having fowls roost
within six inches or so of the accumulated droppings. Coupled with
bad ventilation, disease is almost sure to follow. The illustration at
Fig. 9 shows a contrivance inten-
ded to remedy this defect of most
poultry houses. The roosting per-
ches or main frame are to be as
long as necessity demands, and
should be about three or four feet
from the floor. Some prefer a less
distance, some a greater. Under
the cross perches drop boards are placed (shown at A, A), which are
about six inches wider than the cross perches and which convey the
droppings into the boxes (B, B). These are easily removed each
day, sand or sawdust being placed in the bottom of them before
returning to their places. We consider this a decided improvement
over the level drop board close under the roosting perches.
Fig. 9.
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSF.S.
47
A FEEDING PLATFORM FOR FOWLS.
The cut at Fig-. lo, shows a small platform upon which to feed
fowls, and thus avoid the common and wasteful practice of throwing
the grain or wet food upon the earth or snow. The platform may be
of any desired size, built by the
side of the poultry house, and con-
sists of a bottom -board raised a
few inches from the ground, with
a narrow border upon its three
sides. A slatted " drop " is secured
■ LO the side of the building, as
shown at A in the illustration.
Fig. io. After the food is placed on the
platform, the drop is lowered as shown at B, and prevents the fowls
from crowding upon the board, soiling the feed with their feet, and
causing waste.
A NEST CONTRIVANCE.
Are you ever troubled with several hens trying to get on the nest
at the same time? If so, the illustration at Fig. ii shows how to
obviate the difficulty. You can make the box out of an old boot case.
The board upon which biddy is
walking in the upper figure of the
illustration is two inches narrower
than the box and is so pivoted that
it can move up and down. The
heaviest part of the platform should,
of course, be toward the entrance
so that the approach to the nest will
be open when the hen isn't on it.
When she steps over the pivot the
nest end drops and closes the en-
trance. Simple, but effective.
Fig. II.
48
LOW COST POULTRY HOUSES.
A MOVABLE NEST BOX.
The two accompanying illustrations show a movable nest box.
The advantage of having the nests so that they can be easily taken
out and cleaned, is to every poultryman self-evident. These boxes
are in sections of six nests each
and are about 4 feet long. Two
of these are placed end to end and
fitttd loosely in under the partition
dividing hallway from pen, the
boxes thus forming a part of par-
tition. Fig. 12 shows the nests
facing toward pen. Fig. 13 shows
the side of box toward hallway,
the hinged lid at top permitting
the eggs to be removed from upper
nests and the hinged back from
lower nests without going into
pen. They will be found very
convenient. The boxes should be
of inch stuff and anyone handy
with carpenter's tools can easily
make them.
Fig.
Fig.
13-
A DR'NKING FOUNTAIN.
Another convenience for the poultry house is the drinking foun-
tain as illustrated at Fig 14. It represents a convenient arrangement
for furnishing a steady supply of drinking water to fowls. The
vessel is made by soldering a tin bottom to the
lower part of the can, so as to form a trough on
all sides. Several small holes are made in the
can. The can may be filled by submerging it in
water, or through a hole in the top provided with
an airtight cork. The trough will fill up above
the holes and remain so until the water in the
can is exhausted. The water flows from the can Fig 14.
as fast as it is needed by the fowls. If properly constructed, the
trough can never run over.
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