26 



THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



group of buildings, in the centre of say half an 

 acre of land, will give well-proportioned runs C C, 

 and offer great capabilities of practical work, 



Fig- 9- — rian foi^ ^ Central Range of Buildings. 

 A A. Roosting-houses. B B. Sheds. c C. Grass runs. 



with great economy of material ; the houses 

 being in the centre will have the greatest amount 

 of warmth at night and coolness by day, or may 

 be left half open, on the plan of Fig. 2, still 

 giving ample shelter. An attendant can also 

 see to the whole series under the shelter of the 

 outer sheds. On the other hand, this plan does 

 not admit of extension beyond eight houses and 

 yards, while buildings in a plain row, though 

 subject to the difficulty above mentioned, may 

 be developed to any extent desired. 



In regard to such ranges, or rows of houses, 

 what is known as the " corridor " plan gives 

 the maximum of comfort and con- 

 venience, at a little more cost of 

 space and material. The very first 

 example of this plan, so far as we 

 have been able to learn, was a house erected 

 for his Spanish fowls by the late Mr. Henry 

 Lane, of Bristol, which was figured in the 

 Practical Poultry Keeper of 1867, and has thence 

 been widely imitated and further developed, 

 owing to its obvious advantages. The outer 

 walls v/ere of brick. A covered passage, A (Fig. 10), 

 ran along the back of all, and, by a door in each, 

 had access to any of the roosting-houses B B. 

 Mr. Lane had the passage warmed by hot- 

 water pipes, «a, wh'ch were however only used in 



The 



Corridor 



Plan. 



frosty weather. Spanish combs are particularly 

 apt to get nipped at such times, and for them the 

 pipes were no doubt useful, employed with judg- 

 ment. They are also commonly used in America ; 

 but only in northern latitudes and for certain 

 breeds can they be necessary in Great Britain. 

 The passage was sky-lighted, and had free venti- 

 lation at the highest point of the roof; the doors 

 at the ends of the passage were not meant to be 

 left open, on account of draught, unless in the 

 very hottest weather. Each house, B, was seven 

 and a half by four feet, and the sides facing the 

 passage were only boarded up about two feet, 

 the remainder being wire-netting. Thus the 

 birds had a free supply of pure air, while quite 

 protected from the weather, and could be in- 

 spected on their roosts at night without disturb- 

 ance. The nests were reached from the passage 

 by a flap, thus the house was never entered 

 except to clean it or to handle a bird. A small 

 trap-door as usual communicated between the 

 houses, B B, and outer open sheds, C C, enclosed, 

 however, by netting in front. These sheds 

 measured seven and a half by nine feet each, 

 and were floored with about two inches deep of 

 powdery lime-rubbish from the kilns. This was 

 of course air-slaked, and suited Spanish very 

 well, keeping perfectly dry and lasting a good 

 while when properly looked after ; but it would 

 ruin the colour of any yellow-legged breed. In 

 front of all were two grass runs, into which any 

 pen could be turned at pleasure. Each pen was 



Fig. 10. — Mr. Lane's Yard. 

 a <z. Hot Pipes. A A. Corridor. B B. Roosting-houses. c c. Shedding. 



itself thus only seven and a half feet wide, which 

 would be sufficient for Spanish, but not for many 

 other breeds. Arranging the shed thus, in front 

 instead of at the side of the roosting-houses. 



