18 PROFITS IN POULTRY. 



danger of its freezing, the water may be thrown out as 

 soon as the fowls are on the roosts, and refilled with tepid 

 water at daylight in the winter mornings. Three feed 

 boxes are sufficient, one for soft feed, one for ground 

 oyster shells, and one for ground bone. Grain should be 

 fed upon the floor, and preferably at evening. This 

 brings us to consider the last of our list of requirements, 

 namely, exercise. To secure this, cover the floor with 

 chopped straw to the depth of three inches, and scatter 

 the grain upon this. Feed at such an hour that the 

 chickens will not have time to find it all before it is dark, 

 and this will be an inducement for them to get up early 

 and go to scratching. Some provision of this kind is very 

 important when fowls can not have much range and out- 

 of-door exercise on account of snow and rain. In winter 

 a dry outside run is very important. It is best provided 

 by a long, low, lean-to roof, on the south side of an east 

 and west fence. The sun should, even at noon, reach all 

 the ground under the shed. If such a house as we have 

 indicated, be built against a hillside, somewhat sunken 

 perhaps ; and earth banked up against the sides, except 

 where windows come, will add greatly to its warmth. 



CONVENIENT AND CHEAP POULTRY HOUSE. 



Those who need a cheap building, and can do the 

 greater part of the work themselves, will find the following 

 plan excellent. The center of the building (see fig. 5),- 

 is 10x10 feet, and is six feet to the eaves. The wings are 

 each 8x6x4 feet. Either of the three parts may be built 

 first, and the others may be added from time to time. 

 No posts are used in building it. The sills, 3x4 inches, 

 and 10 feet long, and are mortised and put together in 

 place ; the plates, 3x4 inches, and 10 feet long, are put 



