1056 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



give the fowls an opportunity to scratch in the fresh earth, and 

 a chance at the earth-worms and bugs. To provide green food, 

 partition off a portion of the yard by means of a movable lath 

 fence, and within the inclosure sow oats and grass seeds. When 

 the young plants are three or four inches high, remove the fence, 

 and let the fowls help themselves while another crop is growing. 

 In this way the supply of green food can be kept up till frost 

 comes. 



The young chicks each year can be raised in the yard with 

 the growing crop. Confine the mother hens in coops placed near 



FlO. 14 OPEN ROOSTING-SHED FOR YOUNG CHICKENS. 



the fence, and let the chicks run ; before they get big enough 

 to do harm by scratching the crop will be out of their reach. 

 After the chicks are weaned the coops may be removed, and 

 open roosting-sheds, like the one shown by Fig. 14, put up. In 

 these sheds the chickens can roost and find shelter in inclement 

 weather until late in the fall. 



Shade of some kind is an absolute necessity in the poultry- 

 yard during the long, hot days of summer, and why not furnish 

 it in the best way ? Set out currant and gooseberry bushes, 

 raspberry and blackberry vines near the fence all around the 

 yard. These will furnish the shade that fowls like best, and at 

 the same time give them a taste of fruit that they have a liking 

 for. If there are no trees near the poultry-yard or house, set 

 out a few plum-trees. While the bushes, vines, and trees are 

 yet young, and until they are firmly rooted, the fowls should 

 be kept from them by sharp stakes driven close around them. 



