46 



the front run up and down. The slats are usually 1^ inches wide and % incii thick. 

 Those in front are placed 2 inches apart to allow the chickens to put their heads 

 through for feeding. The slats on the bottom are placed about % inch apart, 

 so as to admit of the droppings passing through to the ground. Care should 

 be taken not to have the first bottom slat at the back fit too closely against the 

 back. An opening between the first slat and the back prevents the droppings 

 from collecting and decomposing. The slats on the top and back are usually 



twG inches apart. 



There is a small Y-shaped trough arranged in front of the coop for feeding 

 and watering the chickens. This trough is from two to three inches deep and is 

 generally made of %-inch lumber. 



Very fair coops may be made from old packing boxes, by taking off the front 

 and bottom, and substituting slats in their places (see Fig. 34). During warm 

 weather these crates may be placed out of doors. They need to be protected from 

 the rain, which is easily accomplished by placing a few boards over them. In 

 cold weather the crates should be placed in a house or shed where they are 

 protected from raw, cold winds. When fattening chickens inside of a building, it 

 is well to darken the building and keep the birds as quiet as possible. 



After each lot of birds is killed, we paint the crates with some liquid lice- 

 killer. Coal-oil and carbolic acid is very good. Use one gallon of coal-oil to 

 one pint of crude acid. We have used some of the prepared mixtures with good 

 results. If the birds (bought from different parties) are very lousy when put 



Pig. 35. Cramming machine for the forced feeding of chickens, turkeys, etc. 



up, they should be well dusted with sulphur. The birds should be watered at 

 least twice every day in warm weather. Grit should be given them twice a week. 

 During the first week feed lightly — never quite all the birds will eat. I 

 prefer feeding three times a day during the first week, and twice a day during 

 the succeeding weeks. It seldom pays to feed the birds longer than three, to four 



