THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 



129 



access to the ground, or, what is better, let the coop be placed over a flooring 

 of ashes, made about two inches thick, so that the mother-hen can dust her- 

 self at pleasure. 



THE RAT-PROOF COOP 



is our beau-ideal of what a chicken-coop should be. It can be moved at will, 

 and at evening, or in stormy weather, the hen and chickens can be driven in 

 and the coop closed up, making it both rat and water-proof. Then again, 

 there is 



THE TENT COOP, 



THE RAT-PROOF COOP. 



THE TENT COOP. 



which answers a good purpose for either young turkeys or chickens ; is easily 

 constructed, and, having no floor, can be moved to any light or sandy soil, 

 which will answer in lieu of ashes for the chicks and hen to dust themselves 

 in, which keeps off vermin. 





THE PENT OR LEAN-TO COOP. 



THE PEN COOP. 



There is another form of coop which we have, but it has no advantages 

 to our mind over either of the preceding ones, unless it be that in this shape 

 it affords more room. It is made of clapboards and lathed or lattice-worked 

 across the whole front of the coop and about half-way up as shown in the 

 engraving. The back, sides and top are made of clapboards, but any kind 

 of boards might be used. We used the clapboards for the sake of mak- 

 ing the coop light, so that it could be handled easily. The size is four and a 

 half feet long two and a half feet wide front three feet high and with a 

 pitch of half a foot to the rear ; the front of the coop being clapboarded one 

 foot down, leaving two feet for the length of the laths in front. The clap- 

 board in front has the effect to prevent the storm from beating in upon the 

 hen and chicks which are confined within the coops. 



9 



