PROG ESSIVE POULTRY CULTURE 77 



These separate parts are placed in position and at- 

 tached by screws or held firmly together by hooks and 

 screw-eyes. When not in use the coop may be "knocked 

 down," the parts packed together and stored in some 

 convenient place, until again needed. A board platform 

 is a good thing to provide for such a coop. It may be 

 made three by three and one-half feet so as to project 

 a foot in front of the coop. The front projection makes 

 a good feeding and watering place. The flooring stops 

 the entrance of rats, skunks, etc., by burrowing under 

 the coop. It also prevents the hen (if she is inclined 

 to scratch the earth too much) from covering her little 

 chicks with soil and burying them alive. It keeps the 

 coop dry under foot. If the hen is confined within the 

 coop in the day-time it may be well to place it on the 

 ground after the chicks get to running freely outside. 

 A shelter for the front of the coop may be made of 

 boards to use whenever protection is needed against 

 storms, winds or sunshine. This may be three f:et by 

 three feet. 



Ventilation of the coop is provided by the slatted 

 or wire-covered front and by half inch or one inch holes 

 bored in the back piece of the coop near the peak. If a 

 larger hole is made for ventilation it should be covered 

 with a piece of wire window screening to keep out rats. 

 If the hen must be kept confined her quarters should be 

 roomy and airy. If cats are likely to catch the chickens 

 these sly enemies must be disabled or the chicks furn- 

 ished with runs completely protected by wire netting. 

 If a covered yard becomes necessary it should be as large 

 as is conveniently possible. It is a good plan, usually 

 to place several hens, with chicks hatched at about the 

 same time, in coops quite near together, allowing the 

 chicks to mingle freely. A large covered run will thus 

 accommodate several broods and the hens will not be 

 so likely to attack and destroy chicks of other broods 

 than their own. 



Sometimes frames eighteen inches or two feet high 

 and of any convenient length and with are covered 

 with wire netting and used as runs for the chicks. These 



