South side of the chicken house. The roof has always been covered with sod. Even in the heaviest rain, the chicken house remained dry and the chickens kept warm. Mr. Jones thought enough of his chickens that he even gave them two skylights through the sod! Today they are covered with wood for safety. Originally the skylights could be opened to allow for ventilation. This was truly the "cadillac of chicken houses."	View of the roof of the chicken house. Note how thick the sod is on top. The massive limestone barn is in the background. This view is facing south.	Vaulted ceiling of the chicken house. Notice the skylights in the roof to allow for ventilation.

The chicken house is native limestone and has an arched stone roof covered with sod, opening above to let light in. The chickens would roost in the sod covered house by night and come out into the building to the west to eat during the day. This area was their "scratch shed" or pen. This lavish poultry house provides the essential requirements to keep hens healthy for maximum egg production and safe from hawks, owls, skunks, and cats. A coop this size could easily accommodate 20 to 35 fowl.

The south facing windows are large enough to admit the sun freely and are positioned to give the most sunlight on the floor during the cold winter months. The 25 inch thick walls keep the coop free of dampness in the rainy season, warm in the winter and cool in the summer. The most important requirement in raising poultry is pure air. The windows are made to slide open in the summer so that the air can flow freely throughout the house. The two openings in the ceiling can be adjusted depending on the weather conditions, temperature, and time of year.

Scratch Shed