238 COMMON OR BARN-DOOR FOWL, 



The coop may be constructed in the following man- 

 ner : A wooden frame, of eighteen inches square, with 

 one door in front, in two halves, in the form of a grat- 

 ing, to permit of the chicks getting easily out and in 

 for their food, &c., and another door, outside of that, 

 for shutting all in at night. Our own wooden frames 

 are covered with coarse canvass, which is both lighter 

 and cooler, than if constructed altogether of boards. 

 For Turkeys the dimensions must be proportionally 

 larger about two feet square formed in the same 

 way. To prevent the other Poultry having access to 

 the young brood, there should be a grating in front 

 of the coop, in which the food and water is to be 

 placed, and, in the course of the first or second day, 

 the chicks will find their way to both. The vessel 

 containing the water should, of course, be very shallow, 

 with a few pebbles placed in it to prevent the birds 

 getting wet precautions which, although obvious, are 

 sometimes not thought upon. Being economists in our 

 way, we have constructed very suitable coops out of old 

 tea-chests. 



At this stage of life many are the odd condiments 

 recommended ; but the food should consist of coarse oat 

 meal, or bruised grits, for the chicks, with oats for the 

 mother. In a few days, a little soft boiled rice may be 

 mixed with the meal, and they will have no objection 

 to a few small worms, and a little chick-weed occa- 

 sionally. We kave fed our Turkeys most successfully 



