62 THE REARING AND 



people have little choice in the matter: they must take or 

 adapt such conveniences as they find around them. The 

 Fowls themselves are not very fastidious ; but we may be sure 

 that the more we attend to the comforts of our domestic ani- 

 mals, the more they will reward our trouble. 



In the first place, then, the Fowls should have a good roof 

 overhead. Many such outbuildings are merely tiled, my own, 

 till lately, among the number. During summer this con- 

 struction is the best, as all night long the house is ventilated 

 with warm air passing through the interstices of the tiles that 

 have been heated by the sun the whole day. Of course the 

 roof is supposed to be in such good repair, and the tiles so 

 well overlapped, that no drippings of water from above are 

 admitted. But in winter such draughts are very injurious, 

 particularly as the Fowls will roost as near to the roof as they 

 can get, so that their head, the most sensitive part, is most ex- 

 posed to the influence of cold. In the autumn of 1847 I lost 

 several favourite birds a valuable Turkey among the number 

 solely from this cause, as I believe. The expense of ceiling 

 with lath and plaster is trifling, the winter comfort of the 

 Fowls must be much increased, and with it their health and 

 profitableness. Leaving the door open for a while every day 

 will sufficiently change the air in any weather. 



Some people allow their Fowls to roost abroad all night, 

 in all weathers, in hawthorn or elder-trees, that stand near the 

 fowl-houses. But the plan is a slovenly mode of keeping even 

 the humblest live stock : it offers a temptation to thieves, and 

 the health of the Fowls cannot be improved by their being 

 soaked all night long in drenching rain, or having their feet 

 frozen to the branches. There is no difficulty in accustoming 

 any sort of poultry, except the Peafowl, to regular housing 

 at night. 



Rough poles, two or three inches in diameter, with the bark 

 left on, make the best roosting perches; to which a hen- ladder 



