128 FIRST LESSONS IN POULTRY KEEPING. 



drop through any nest material or dirt that caunot be easily lifted out with the hand. There 

 are in these nests no coiners formed by three sides, no places for dirt to muss and collect. 

 The nests can be cleaned inside without removing them, or detaching any part of them. 



Receptacles for Grit, Shell, etc. 



Where supplies of all these accessories are kept constantly before the fowls, the best way to do 

 is to have self-feeding hoppers with as many compartments as there are articles used. Usually 

 there are three grit, shell, and charcoal. I use only shell, and for it have small boxes nailed to 

 the wall near the door in each house, just high enough from the floor to let the fowls get at the 

 contents easily. If I had more low Is or used more of these accessories I would use hoppers 

 for them, but we have old butter boxes more than enough for the purpose, so what's the use of 

 buying or making hoppers? ' 



As to the use of these articles : Shell is generally agreed to be indispensable. Grit and char- 

 coal are so considered by the majority of poultrymen, but I am free to say that in my own yards 

 I have never found any advantage in the use of charcoal. I used a good deal years ago, quit 

 because I could see no benefit from it, and have never been able to see that my fowls suffered 

 for want of it. Advocates of charcoal with whom I have discussed this will insist that the 

 fowls would be better for it, but that is begging the question. 



Grit I used with shell until a few years ago, and quit it because I found that when constantly 

 and liberally supplied with shell the fowls hardly touched the grit. 



I would not conclude from my experience that no fowls needed grit and charcoal, but it 

 seems very plain to me that mine do not. Fowls managed differently might, and of course mine 

 might get in condition that would require them. So while personally I discard the two articles 

 mentioned, as I leave out some of the tasks of poultry keeping that are generally done on the 

 " better be sure than sorry " principle, I don't advise anyone else to do so. I merely say that 

 these things do not seem to be always essential, and that if a man can have confidence enough 

 in his own judgment to determine when they are needed, it is not necessary for him to con- 

 stantly supply articles or regularly perform tasks merely to be sure that he does not err through 

 omission or neglect. Each one can easily determine for himself how much grit or charcoal his 

 fowls will take, and to what extent they seem benefited by them, or to suffer from lack of them. 



Dust Baths. 



In a house with an earth floor, no special dust bath is needed. Clear away the litter occa- 

 sionally from a space near the door or window, where the sunlight falls on the floor, see that 

 the earth here is loose, and the fowls will prefer such a place to the old fashioned dust bath. 

 This for winter. For other seasons you need do no more than fork up a little spot here and 

 there in the yards. 



Where the houses have not earth floors dust baths must be provided. They may be made by 

 putting a board diagonally across a corner and partly filling the enclosed triangular space with 

 dry earth ; or the enclosed space may be square or rectangular in form, two boards joining at an 

 angle which projects into the floor being required to make the two sides of this dust box, or a 

 box with sides and bottom may be used and shifted about as desired. 



Failing a supply of dry earth, coal ashes may be used, but their effect on the skin and plum- 

 age of the fow Is is bad. They take away the oil in them, leaving feathers rough and brittle, and 

 the skin dry, and leave the feet and shanks in a condition in which they are especially suscepti- 

 ble to the attacks of the scale insect. 



To add to the effectiveness of the dust bath in ridding the fowls of lice, lime, sulphur, etc., 

 are sometimes mixed with it, and doubtless give it additional virtue, though the dry earth alone 

 is sufficient provided hens have opportunity to use it freely. 



