184 POULTRY-HOUSES. 



the rain, damp being most destructive to poultry. Windows 

 should be placed in opposite directions, so as to admit of thorough 

 ventilation each day, during the summer months ; but one win- 

 dow should be carefully closed at night, even in the summer time, 

 as there is nothing more injurious to poultry, than a thorough 

 draft of air, during their sleeping hours, and both windows should 

 be punctually shut up, every night, during the winter season. 

 In order to admit ventilation and prevent the poultry passing 

 through the windows, a wire lattice should be fitted to each. I 

 would particularly advise the roosting perches to commence low, 

 say about one and a half foot from the ground, and ascend gra- 

 dually, in the form of a wide ladder ; the perches to be placed 

 about twelve inches apart, with an elevation of twelve inches 

 above each other, so as that the droppings of one bird, may not 

 soil the plumage of the other ; and to be from one and a half to 

 two inches in diameter, with the sharp angles taken off. The 

 value of low perching cannot but be known to most keepers of 

 fine, large fowl, who are sure to break their breast-bone, when 

 coming down from high perching, and from which they scarcely 

 ever recover. Nests are frequently constructed in the building of 

 poultry-houses, which is, by no means, a bad plan, as they are 

 free from the droppings of the fowl, are rounded in the shape of 

 a nest, at the bottom, and a coat of lime, at any time, renders 

 them perfectly pure. If they are not so constructed you will 

 have to furnish your hens with boxes or baskets, placed steadily, 

 furnished with straw, cut short, so as to prevent accident to the 

 eggs ; and should be frequently renewed, and the nests kept per- 

 fectly clean. I would prefer boxes to baskets, for hatching, as 

 being less exposed to the action of the air ; and, as with the 

 perches, I would recommend their being near the ground, so as 

 to imitate nature, as much as possible, and permit the hens to 

 enter with ease. If there is a difficulty about entry the eggs will 

 be broken ; and if the hen fall when about entering a high nest, 

 to lay, if hurt, she will be likely to lay soft or misshapen eggs ; 

 I would, therefore, advise them not to be elevated. 



Hatching on the ground, as in the case of a hen laying out, 

 has been found most successful, the evaporation from the earth 

 inducing incubation; as a substitute for such evaporation, Can- 

 telo finds it necessary to damp the eggs daily, with a sponge. An 

 aperture should be constructed in the door, to admit the poultry 

 in and out, a little elevated from the ground, so as not to induce 

 vermin to enter ; with a perch for the convenience of the birds. 

 They should be supplied with pure, fresh water daily. If a corner 



