142 DOMESTIC ANIMALS. [Chap. I. 



194. The Pleasures of Poultry Raisiugi — Besides the profit of a -well-con- 

 ducted poultry biisines?, there is an actual jtlcasurc attending it over tliar 

 of keeping any other kind of domestic animals. Although the aim appears 

 always to be profit, we think if those who can keep poultry -vrould look at it 

 in anotlier point of view, tliey would be better satisfied if it did not always 

 jHnj. One advocates having a lawn and a flower garden attached to his 

 house, saying that it will give new life and beauty to all around, and 

 exert a beautiful and ennobling influence upon every member of the house- 

 hold, and even visitors and passers-by will catch from it a sweet spirit of 

 love and good-will ; but the question with the calculating and careful farmer 

 is. Will it pay ? So with every improvement upon his house and around 

 his farm ; if he does not see a prospect ahead of a return in hard money for 

 his outlay of time and his work, the close-calculating man sets it down as 

 being a thing that won't pay, and consequently abandons it entirely. 



It is just so in regard to poultry. Kothing is ke]>t for ornament ; yet we 

 have already shown that several varieties are not only ornamental, but prof- 

 itable. But setting all other considerations aside, we would keep poultry 

 just for the pleasure attending the sight of the birds, particularl}' the dear 

 little chicks. Quoting from a sensible writer upon this subject, wo adopt 

 his woi'ds : 



" One of my neighbors says it will pay to keep just as many hens as will 

 get their living around the barn through the winter ; but lie thinks it will not 

 pay to keep them if they have to be fed. I will own that I have a few notions 

 in common with all poultry fanciers ; I look somewhat to the profit, but make 

 it a point of secondary importance. Farmers, in general, who keep hens, are 

 more troubled with them than with any other one thing upon their farms, 

 considering the amount of work which they do. They are always scratch- 

 ing in the garden, digging up corn, or committing other depredations which 

 keep the farmer and his girls running to keep them out of mischief." 



Of course they are, because they must scratch for a living. If you don't 

 want hens in mischief, feed them ; and at times when it is really necessary, 

 shut them in a poultry-yaixl and feed them, and adopt this simple rule for 

 feeding fowls, known to most housewives in the country who have charge 

 of the poultry, but it may be useful to amateurs, and as it is very short, we 

 print it. Here it is: Don't feed too much. That is all; though we may 

 add that food shoidd never be given to fowls unless they are hungry enough 

 to " run crazy" after it ; and just as soon as they stop running crazy, you 

 stop thi'owing feed, and never — no, never — leave feed lying by your fowls 

 " for them to eat at leisure." This same rule does pretty well for all other 

 domestic animals — children included. 



If you don't feed your hens, and let them run in the garden, and they 

 scratch, don't swear. It is natural for them to scratch, and although they do 

 mischief, they also do good. Then, don't set the dog upon them ; it only 

 makes matters worse. There is a cure for your trouble : build a yard in 

 which to shut the hens when they are troublesome in the garden, and train 



