32 



THE POFLTRY-HOrSE. 



WARMrii is very essential to fowls, cold 

 renduring them torpid, retarding and di- 

 minishing their laying ; bat too much heat 

 enfeebles them. Wiiite hens are more 

 tender, and require to be kept warmer than 

 the dark coloured. It is desirable that the 

 walls of tlie poultry-house should, if possi- 

 ble, receive a little heat from a chimnej- or 

 flue in some part of the dwelling, Avhich in 

 some cases may be effected with a little 

 contrivance ; and it is not well that the 

 poultry-house sliould be too large for the 

 number of fowls, as they rather prefer being 

 a little crowded togothei-, on account of the 

 warmth they receive from each other : but 

 ventilation sliould not be neglected, as bad 

 air generates disease. The walls are best 

 of brick, and may be built hollow, the 

 better to confine tlie heat ; a window is 

 best to the east, and another to the west, 

 with wired lattices and shutters to close in 

 very cold weather. Roosting perches or 

 rails should be placed in convenient situa- 

 tions in the poultry-house; and they should 

 not be round, nor smooth, but neaidy square, 

 and somewhat rough, of a size suitable to 

 be grasped by the claws of the fowls. It 

 is important that every part of the building 

 sliould be finished close without crevices, to 

 prevent the entrance of vermin, and the 

 inside should be frequently whitewashed 

 with hot lime ; it is necessary to observe 

 that the utmost cleanliness is essential in 

 a poultry-house. The litter of the nests 

 and the dung should be frequently removed, 

 for no poultry can thrive where this is ne- 

 glected; the brick floor should be washed 

 every week. Coops for fattening are like- 

 wise requisite, with a trough before for 

 food. Nests are sometimes fixtures, and 

 may be built against the wall, either in 

 one tier or several, according to the num- 

 ber of fowls and the size of the house. 

 When there is more than oue tier, each of 

 those above the ground must have a pro- 

 jecting shelf at the bottom, for the fowls to 

 reach the nests by, and a slanting board 

 leading to it with slips of wood nailed on. 

 Moveable nests are also occasionally useful. 

 These nests should bo well cleaned out with 

 hot lime-water after every liatching, to 

 destroy the fleas which infest poultry, and 

 which are not only annoying to them, but 

 also to visitors. It is sometimes necessary 

 to separate some fowls from the rest; such 

 as those which are diseased, which are 

 liable to be ill-treated by the rest, as also 

 strangers, and fowls of particular breeds. 



Coops and cages are useful for this purpose, 

 which may be made in various ways, 

 Pens also may be provided made of lattice 

 work, each for a cock and four or five hens 

 to be in during the day to enjoy the fresh 

 air, and yet be protected from bad weather; 

 and these may serve instead of a poultry- 

 yard, when but a few fowls are kept. 

 Places for shelter in case of rain are neces- 

 sary to be provided ; in short, it is of great 

 use to make their abode not only healthy, 

 but agreeable to them, in order that they 

 may remain sitationary and quiet, and lay 

 and sit when it is desired; as fowls, if they 

 are dissatisfied with their position, are apt 

 to lay in secret places, where it is not al- 

 ways easy to discover their eggs. Among 

 other conveniences in the poultrj'-yard, 

 there should be a small plot of grass or 

 clover planted here and there, if there is 

 space enough; and a fev/ heaps of gravel, 

 sand, or ashes, for the fowls to roll them- 

 selves in and cleanse their feathers from 

 vermin. 



Poultry eat a great variety of food, all 

 kinds of grain and seeds, and preparations 

 made from them, also most sorts of vege- 

 tables, raw or boiled ; and they are fond 

 of a certain quantity of animal food, raw 

 or cooked ; insects and worms, grubs and 

 maggots, they search for and devour with 

 avidity, and some persons collect these on 

 purpose for thom. Potatoes form some of 

 the most economical food, but it is essential 

 not only that these should bo boiled or 

 steamed, but that they are given warm, 

 for fowls dislike them if cold. In many 

 hou-es there are many well-known scraps 

 and refuse that will serve for fowls, such 

 as crumbs of bread, fragments of pies and 

 puddings, and even bits of meat and fish, 

 and vegetables, such as lettuce, endive, 

 cabbage, spinach, turnips, carrots, chick- 

 weed and grass. It is generally necessary 

 to give them some kind of grain, as wheat, 

 barley, oats, rye, buckwheat, and maize, or 

 meal made from them mixed into a paste 

 with water. Kicc they are fond of at first, 

 but soon tire of it ; and much oats, Mow- 

 bray says, is apt to scour. 



[We have been favoured with the above 

 as a reply to some correspondents who have 

 made inquiries on the subject. It may 

 prove useful to our readers generally, but 

 it must be understood that we cannot give 

 the subject any further place in these 

 pages. — Ed.] 



