Sec. 9.] 



POULTRY. 



133 



with slats two inches wide and two inches apart, with extra slats that can be 

 shoved in between, beint^ lield in place by a bar in front at top, and one at 

 Loftuni. One of llio other slats should also be made movable, so it can 

 be raised to allow the hen to go in and out. If the coop is double, which Ave 

 prefer, oiake a movable slat for each romn. The dimensions of a double 

 coop may be two feet long, one and a half feet wide, one and a half feet 

 high on the back, and two feet in front, with a close partition in the middle. 

 Slake the roof of five pieces of boards — one at each end and one in the mid- 

 dle, nailed fast, and two others hinged and buttoned down on the others, so 

 as to make o])enings about six inches wide into the coops. One room is for 

 the nest and one for the brood. If two hens are very docile, they ma}' oc- 

 cupy one coop. Outside of the front slats nail a little trough, one foot long, 

 to serve both rooms for water, which will be comeatable outside and in. 

 These are the dimensions of a coop of the smallest size, which will be so 

 light that a child can move it from place to place. It should have a floor; 

 and if rats arc troublesome, it can be set up from the ground, particularly at 

 night. The dimensions in length may be increased as much as desired. Set 

 it face to the sun, and in case of storm, or in cold nights, close all the slats, 

 leaving open a hole in each end, high up, about two inches square or round, 

 for ventilation. If yon wish to raise your chickens without a mother, lino 

 one room of the coop with old carpet, and put a board, covered with woolly 

 sheep-skin, about six or eight inches square, in one corner, just high enough 

 for the chicks to creep under, and look well to thcni for a few days, and they 

 will do better than with a bad mother. As they grow lai-ge enough to go 

 out of doors, let them in a small yard, in front of the coop, to scratch and 

 bask in the sun. The best fence for such a yard is wove-wire, one and a 

 half or two feet high. "With nice, warm, dry coops, early chickens can bo 

 raised almost as sure as late ones, and where grown for sale, will generally 

 sell for as much when half grown as late ones will full trrown. 



Stoves in Chlckeii-IIouses. — It has been found profitable, in raising early 

 chickens, to use artificial warmth. A small, warm room, warmed in cold 

 weather by a stove, so as to keep the tem])eralure at about oo degrees, 

 will allow you to set your hens in January or February, and gpt chickens 

 which will sell, when the size of quails (say 75 cents a i)air\ for as much as 

 old fowls. These warm-house chickens must not bo allowed to run out in 

 the cold or wet grass, but will be benefited by allowing them to run out in 

 the sun. If we made a business of raising ])oiiltrv for market, we would set 

 hens in a stove-room all winter. A tun of coal, costing say six dollars, 

 would warm a room all winter, large enough to raise two or tliree hundred 

 chickens, which would sell in the city markets, certainly at twenty-five cents 

 apiece, when the size of quails. 



184. Set Hens Earlyt — It is a great object to eet hens as early as possible 

 in spring, as early chickens will begin to lay in October, and give eggs in 

 November and December. Be carctul to give your early sitters a warm, 

 dry nest. After the hen has been sitting ten days, examine the eggs to seo 



