AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL COLLEGE OF TEXAS EXTENSION SERVICE CHAS. H. ALVORD, Director UOOPERATIVE EXTENSION WORK IN AGRICULTURE AND HOME ECONOMICS (The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas and the United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating) Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8th and June 30th, 1914 B-65-(Revised) College Station,_ Texas October, 1926 POULTRY HOUSES FOR TEXAS JNO. P. lt/lcCULLOUG , Asst County Agent’ DALLAS, TEXA3 CHAS. H. ALVORD Director of Extension Service, College Station, Texas POULTRY HOUSES FOR TEXAS Poultry houses should be dry, well ventilated, free from drafts and have plenty of sunshine, also floor space to permit the birds freedom and com- fort. These are essentials, in any type of house, and should not be over- looked, if maximum production is to be expected. Poultry houses are built in various shapes and sizes. Frequently old buildings can be remodeled into real serviceable poultry houses. LOCATION The location is important and should be given careful consideration. It might be advisable in remodeling old sheds, etc., to move them to a better location. The house should be located on well-drained ground. Houses located in poorly drained places make cold damp quarters and this in the end will bring sickness and disease. Face the house to the South or South- east, as this will permit a greater amount of sunlight throughout the day especially during the Winter when it is most needed. This exposure makes the house drier, warmer, and more conducive to the productiveness of the flock. ‘FLOOR SPACE Floor space is important. The number of square feet allowed per bird will depend on the conditions under which they are kept. If birds are kept in close confinement, 3 to 4 square feet of floor space should be provided for each bird. Under average farm conditions Where the birds are allowed free range, 21A to 3 square feet should be allowed each bird. FLOORS Poultry houses can be built with or without floors, the main essential being dryness of floor regardless of the kind. If dirt floors are used it will be necessary to scrape out the houses once a year or oftener and add fresh gravel or dirt to keep them clean and sanitary. If wood floors are con— structed they should be built 8 to 10 inches above the ground to allow venti- lation and to prevent rats from harboring under them. Concrete floors are more durable and are satisfactory. They keep out the rats and last much longer. They are sanitary and easy to clean. The cost of construction should be kept in mind, however. A concrete floor should never be used unless it is kept well covered with litter; otherwise it will be cold. WALLS Poultry house walls are made of various kinds of lumber and other material. Drop siding nailed to 2x4 studs is used a great deal. Another wall that is cheaper in some localities is made with 1x12 boards run verti- cally, with the cracks stripped with 1x4’s or other battens. A very good wall can be made by running shiplap or flooring vertically from the sils to the roof plate. Where the wall boards are run vertically, most of the studs may be left out. Sometimes composition roofing is nailed over shiplap to make an extra warm house. Concrete and hollow clay tile are excellent materials for walls, but are usually more expensive than lumber. ROOFS Shingles make a very good poultry house roof, if the pitch of the roof is sufficient for their use. Composition roofing is quite generally used, since it may be used on a flat roof. The cheaper grades do not last long, so it is well to get a good grade, and preferably one covered with crushed rock. Galvanized sheet iron is an excellent roof material, except for the fact that it transmits heat so readily. It is being used a good deal in the gable roof houses with a ceiling below it to break up the heat radiation. ROOSTS Always place the roosts in the back of the house away from the open- ing. A dropping board to catch the droppings should be built about 8 inches below the roosts and not over 3 feet above the floor. The roosts should be about 15 inches apart, running either lengthwise or across the dropping board. The dropping board should not extend forward in the building any further than is necessary. ~From 8 to 10 inches of roosting space should be allowed for' each bird. N ESTS There should be one nest for every four hens. The nests should not be less than 12 inches square, and should be 14 or 15 inches high. They can be placed on the end walls or partitions, or under the dropping board. GABLE ROQF HOUSE Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show views of a gable roof house for 250 hens. The plan for ventilating and admitting light to this house may be used in the remodeling of an old gable roof building into a poultry house. " The ceiling joists serve to strengthen the roof and also to support a; slatted ceiling. This ceiling is recommended as a support for a thick layer of straw to make the house warmer in the Winter and cooler in the summer. Some poultrymen prefer to use the slats Without straw, since the straw might harbor vermin. A The open side of this house should face the south, the same as with the other types. The windows at the sides and back eliminate any dark corners. This house is built in sizes both larger and smaller than the size shown. It is sometimes made 30 feet square, and is sometimes made 30x50 feet with the 30 foot end or gable end to the south. Fig. L-South elevation of gable roof house. Fig. 2--N0rth elevation of gable roof house. 4 Dro/o/o/nj Board ' 0" 24/- -u~uu—_- 4‘ ? Fig. ii--Ficar {Lian 0i’ gaifie tea? hfiilSfl. ce/'//‘/7J'oisf.5 z"x 4"/._j / ‘>1 ' O. lfi y/Wal/ A/es fs ' 1‘ i- Q; F005 11s -/? g J m F1 F1 H ‘wl ‘fi i‘ T? DfrzvFP/nze; ‘ BOAHD"~'Y A S Fig. 4-—-Secti0n 0f gable roof h-nuse. 5 THE SEMI-MONITOR HOUSE. Figure 5 shows the floor plan of a semi-monitor house for two hundred hens. This is a very desirable type of house “for the reason that it permits sunlight to enter the back p-art of the house through the high windows, and also has the open front protected from the rain by low projecting eaves. Another good feature is that the roosts are a considerable distance from the open front. Figure 6 shows the north elevation of this house with ventilating doors for use in summer. Figure 7 shows the south side of the house with the high windows, and the open front under the- low eaves. Figure 8 shows a section o.f the semi-monitor house. It is shown with a dirt floor but it may have any other kind desired. The roosts are hinged at the rear and may be lifted for cleaning off the dropping board. The nest-s are placed under the edge of the dropping board and are built so that the hens enter them from the rear. The eggs may be gathered by opening a door at the front side of the nests. k-F 30ft H1075 Uflddf‘ dnofrffnf D/i/‘I’ f/oor [fi 20ft I Fig. 5-Floor plan of semi-monitor house for 200 hens X/T board C0r1¢re e __________ ___._ _.-.. ___.... Fig. 6—North elevation of semi-monitor house F5 ________ Qiqflfifg“. ____._ ___.~ --~» -~- ~-~ Fig. 7-S0uth elevation 0f semi-monitor house Feed Harp" I l0 20 ' Fig. 8—-Secti0n of semi-monitor house 7 SHED ROOF HUUSE This type of house has been very popular because it is easy toconstruct. If a house for about 75 hens is desired this ‘house may be made 16 feet square. In the end view, fig. 9, is shown large ventilating doors which may be fastened up in summer. The short shed rodf over the open-front is also shown in this viexv. This shed is for the purpose of keeping rain from blowing into the house.’ ' Figure 12 is a detail section of the dark wall nests shown in this house The nests are placed in a double tier with the entrance from the rear. The hens enter the small alley next to the house wall from the end of a row of nests and not through the outside ventilating door shown slightly raised. Fig. 9--End elevation of shed roof open front house 3 143/5; /1'.'.'>/"°5§J"i“’6?@! ‘ffla Qf/fioiy . ff/“évflke, has? fit/Ivy . sob/gt" ’ l - o .0’ fl | Y I unpuuvtnidvwai§db'tuuun'uww nnwazuinouiiat1wwon" and 2';_,4_" l} I\ Fig. 15-Fl00r plan \.._____\.__ _/"x/ r . a 6 _ ~‘ v. if" "‘ ~ ‘g 4'5; A -.L_':\‘\"_.."::g:;f#§v5/4L, 6 i \~~_.; r14_,’_.<¢_.,,_ ‘- Pgt._m___o,wrdd _ \*~\E‘ " i? '4 w: m ~___ ~€>rc . ~\ 1. ‘. s ‘us f i ‘z a‘: *\*~"~"__"-£*1-4Z an I _ - I ~ H1 .- . / V '~-.~_§ ‘f? "T -'.- _ ( r; » I 2\‘é Zr§r> d ‘yaw/y -.-L\__$_ I t ' x > s’. ? r- - - .- -¢ w- - - . @ — ¢ _ — Q — — » — - - - an’ u \\¥\‘L \__ i J . I; i, u“ f. k Q '§ s!‘ RM ‘ ‘r a»: ~ in each éna j i 2; s’ &'en//'/afin€¥; {Mm ¥ #_ux“u,40J/,4J q 513',’ and sin/j b’ “a _... _.-..___..A.¢.. r 1 ' .T_“-_-_-_-L-~--- ~—~—..-.--_ .~..=..—~—- W? A ,-,=....,...v ig/lzvggzggs _ ’ ~_"~§///_'~‘-////§ ' ‘;,~:é/5—,§f'>§ W“, . _,-, 151w ,,=" /.= 9775.? 4 Fig. 16-- Section SMALL HOUSE FOR 25 HENS Figure17 shows the floor plan, and figure 18 the section of the small house used at College Station in the Texas National Egg Laying Contest. It is suitable for a small flock of laying hens, and also may be used as a’ brooder house. This house is built on skids so that it may be moved about. Figure 19 shows a section that may be used with the same floor plan, in order that more ventilation may be had in the house. The entire front of the house is open, and large ventilating doors are placed in the three sides. A short shed roof over the front keeps the rain from blowing into the house. /0’-0" ‘I L fiféfuds J 2'}: 2" roasts I 06"! l6’ r/‘zk/‘tl; Sfi/OIS '\ M 4" _ / Fig. l7-»~-Floor plan of heuse for 25 hens Traf ncs f: f —-' l‘ mosh HO/‘f/nj under all vanri/afinj door-i T V‘ N 1 36" {If} F0? an’ 4 u 1&4’ 4nd; - 2' apdrf g/drap Jndinj I ‘O a'~<> 2314" f/oor joiafs 2' flflff Fig. 18-Section 0f house for 25 hens W I L/Tboard hinged i Z7 k/Poov lvfnyed |‘\~ , ‘t g ‘T’ §2SP2'mo? ‘Qt " fi 2&4 ,, 1? i/Drop Sldlnj a’ 1'1 T a I 1:, ' n Trap nesflj xi‘ a \I‘Doq,- hfnjed w w g \ vy x / ’ ZY-VUI/OQrJMZSfJ 2'4'P@"'7L ' Fig. 19—Secti0n 0f 25then house 13 % SMALL BROODER HOUSE ' U gk“ 5&5" runner- Fig. 20—Section x6 The brooder house should be so constructed that it can be easily kept warm and also well ventilated. Sunlight in the house is very de- sirable. A house of this size will accomodate one large hover or two small ones. Figure 21 shows a desirable south front for a brooder house. The sashes which are hinged, will ad- mit sunlight when it is too cold to have the doors open. Fig. 21—South elevation l.<__________ /z'~pO' - Fig. 22—Floor plan 14 BROODER HOUSE . "M" v-vb/e boards E ‘m a} zlx y" 6px 6n Fig. 23—Section I This house is design- ed for the use of two hovers. Its maximum capacity would be 1000 chicks. If it is not to be movable, 2x6 pieces may be laid flat instead of the 6x6 runners. The door is placed in one end, and 30x36-inch windows may be placed in each end of the house. 2o -0" "T? 1 on 2"><4"J'oi.sfs 2 I ;<_--- /a 24—Floor plan Flex I 46/8 30$: 36' Fig. 25-—South elevation 15 Wf/"e or 6/70/11 f0 sup/Poor)‘ foosfs F/oor Goa/use 50nd, y/‘arc/ or hare’ c/aiy Fig. 26--Roosts suspended by wi"es, and removable dropping board Z a/ ?/.Ll//// / i 7M 4 Fig. 27-Removable roost poles supported on posts in the ground, to facili- tate the eradication of insects 16