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I inches thick. Those in front are placed 2 in. apart to allow the 

 chickens to put their heads through for feeding. The slats on the 

 bottom are placed about f 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 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 2 inches apart. 



There is a small V-shaped trough arranged in front of the coop 

 for feeding and watering the chickens. This trough is from 2 to 3 

 inches deep and is generally made of f inch lumber. 



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

 off the front and bottom, and subsituting slats in their places, (see 

 Fig. 22). 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 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 or four weeks. Chickens weighing 

 from three to three and one-half pounds each, that are thrifty and of 

 good breeding appear to be the most profitable for feeding. Large 

 chickens, weighing from five to six pounds, gain less and eat more than 

 smaller ones. 



Should a bird become sick in the crate, I find that if it is given 

 a teaspoonful of salts and turned out on a grass run it will usually 

 recover. 



Cramming Machine. 



The crammer consists of a food reservoir, to the bottom of which 

 is attached a small force-pump moved by a lever and treadle which is 

 worked by the foot of the operator. 



Communicating with the pump is a nozzle, through which the 

 food passes to the bird. 



