The poultry house, no matter how carefully built, is not a fit place for poultry, if it is neglected. Cobwebs draped across the corners hold dust and disease germs. Neglected perches become mite-infested and are thereafter a menace to the health of the poultry. Grooves and crevices in walls harbor mites, lice, and disease. Burlap curtains that become dusty do not readily admit pure air, or else convey a cloud of dust directly back to the fowls. Floors that are covered with an accumulation of dirt become damp and cold, aside from the danger of contamination. Window panes that are cloudy with dirt do not admit sunlight properly. The litter of straw should be changed frequently, say, every third day—the floor swept and fresh litter spread upon it. The droppings should be removed daily. A little fine dry sand acts as an absorbent if sprinkled over the cleaned surface. Walls should be swept down once a week, giving attention to corners, under and behind nests, perches, etc. For this purpose a splint broom, such as is used around stables, is most useful. For thorough cleansing after all loose dirt has been swept away nothing is superior Transcriber's note: Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained and illustrations moved to paragraph breaks. The following corrections have been made: Everything else has been retained as printed. |