A SELF-SUPPORTING HOME 



To avoid all trouble of this kind, devote 

 some small building to the exclusive use of 

 sitting hens, where they will be free from all 

 disturbing influences. Arrange nest boxes, 

 with hay in them, all around the sides. In 

 the centre of the floor two boxes filled with 

 fine ashes for the sitters to bathe in are needed, 

 as well as a drinking fountain and a pan filled 

 with whole corn mixed with sharp grit 

 four portions of the former to one of the latter. 

 Fill up the pan and water fountain every 

 morning. Cut a large turnip or cabbage 

 in half and fix it between stones, so as to 

 keep the cut side firmly uppermost; then 

 whenever hunger assails any of the occu- 

 pants of the house, they can eat and return 

 to their nests without attention from you. 



Droppings must of course be removed every 

 day, and the ash baths emptied and refilled 

 twice a week. 



There is also another time- and trouble- 

 saving device: we now use a sort of cage 

 three feet long, two feet wide, and one and a 



153 



