Assertion (A) is true: In tropical countries like India, the long axis of an open-sided poultry house must be aligned strictly East to West.
Reason (R) is true: The sun follows an overhead path from east to west; an East-West orientation ensures that the sun's direct rays fall primarily on the roof rather than entering through the open sidewalls, thereby preventing excessive solar heat buildup inside the shed.
Because Reason (R) directly explains the rationale for Assertion (A), both are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

Option analysis:

• Correct. Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
• Incorrect because (R) is indeed the exact reason for (A).
• Incorrect because (R) is true.
• Incorrect because (A) is true.

Statement (I) is true: The cardinal rule of poultry lighting for laying hens is 'never decrease day length or light intensity during the laying period', as decreasing photoperiod triggers hypothalamic suppression of gonadotropins, inducing premature molt and severe drop in egg production.
Statement (II) is true: The cardinal rule for growing pullets is 'never increase day length during the growing period', because increasing photoperiod causes precocious sexual maturity, resulting in small unmarketable eggs, egg prolapse, and reduced total lifetime egg mass.

Evaluation of poultry management statements:

• True: Waterers are placed slightly higher than feeders or adjusted to back-height to prevent litter contamination and spilled feed from getting soggy.
• True: In hot summer weather, poultry consume $2\text{ to }3$ times more water to maintain evaporative cooling, requiring watering space to be doubled.
• True: Overhang extension of the eaves ($3\text{ to }3.5\text{ feet}$) prevents rain splash into open-sided sheds during monsoons, keeping litter dry.
• False: In summer, litter depth should be reduced to about $2\text{ inches}$ to dissipate heat; deep litter ($4\text{ to }6\text{ inches}$) is used in winter to generate biological fermentation warmth.