Poultry raising is one of the commercial pursuits of the day. The care and shelter of the hen is absolutely necessary.

The hen house herein described is 12'xl6'.

Fig. 55

The foundation to extend 12" above the ground and 12" below the surface, to prevent vermin burrowing under the floor. Concrete the floor several inches above the surrounding grounds, for a dry floor. Run a 4" wall 6" high 8'xl2' for the scratch room. The nest room 4'xl2'. The roost room floor 4'xl2' and has a gutter 10" wide at the bottom of the drain. (See floor plan fig. 55.) The roosts extend over part of the scratch pen and conserves floor space, and is more easily kept warm in cold climates. Put 2" to 4" of sand or dirt on the cement floor in the scratch room. Hens should not sit on concrete when housed.

Fig. 56

The dirt may be changed as often as necessary to keep sanitary. (See fig. 56.)

The partition between nest room and other rooms to be boarded tight. Cut doors in as shown. The partition between scratch room and roost room to be boarded tight except a 3x10' opening V above the roosts. This opening to be covered with mesh wire and have a canvass roll to close and open. The sloped partition under the roosts to gutter to be boarded upright with matched floor. The roost frame made of l"x4" with cross-bars every 4'. Hinges on back, roost strips l"x2". The nests 14" wide and 12" deep. Hinge the bottom of the nest box to drop and the top to raise to clean out and scrub.

Fig. 57

In adding to or taking from this plan, you can use the same method on different plans. The front or south has windows for the scratch pen, to admit the sun, and canvass above the windows for air. There are two windows on the north for ventilation in summer. (Fig. 57.)