Rearing Chickens. 



VOL.V. 



states south of" us, are extremely deficient in 

 the order, tastefulness and arrangement of 

 our buildings, and, as a consequence, in every 

 thing connected with them, is a p.ilpable 

 truth that all must admit, who have seen, 

 read or heard of the neat cottage of old Eng- 

 land, or the beautiful and well-ordered houses 

 of our Yankee neighbours. 



To those who can spare the time and 

 means, a few summer days spent amongst 

 the latter, will afford pleasure and profit to 

 the visiter. It will teach him lessons, on 

 good taste and good management, tliat, if put 

 in practice, may contribute to remove a blem- 

 ish from the face of our fair land. 



The common apology for neglect and care- 

 lessness — for carts, ploughs, implements of 

 all kinds, strewed about and exposed to the 

 weather, which shortens their durability one- 

 half, is want of time. But be assured it is 

 not so — the true cause is want of care, of 

 system, and, in some cases, of industry. 

 Again, tiie planting of trees, where trees 

 ought to grow, will, to be sure, require some 

 time, but so will planting corn, and recollect 

 that trees grow and become valuable without 

 encroaching on your future time — ihcy grow 

 whilst tjou sleep. The erection of a cheap 

 shelter to cover and preserve agricultural im- 

 plements, will incur less expense than a few 

 years' exposure to the sun and rain. A neat 

 portico, a little paint or whitewash, a pale- 

 fence, or other protection, to keep the domes- 

 tic animals at a respectful distance, and to 

 give an aspect of industry, neatness and com- 

 fort, will, it is true, cost something — but the 

 impression, the example, the effect on all 

 around and about you, will be an ample re- 

 turn, teaching and instilling habits of econo- 

 my, frugality and good taste, which are 

 greatly wanted in our community. 



Farther, we " lords of all we survey," and 

 ^ tillers of the soil," owe something to the 

 fair partners of our toils and cares, and the 

 man who arranges all tvithout the house, 

 with well-ordered care, may rely on producing 

 a happy impression within. There are few 

 of our fair countrywomen who will not do 

 tJieir duty, and give their kind and skilful 

 aid when cheered on by their sterner com- 

 panions. Where you see a man who displays 

 care, management and good taste, rest assured 

 that the wife, v^ith her domestic circle, emu- 

 lates, if not excels him. A Subscriuer. 



The unproductiveness of our soil is not 

 the necessary consequence of want of la- 

 bourers; it is occasioned by the progress of 

 sloth and indolence, and ought to alarm our 

 fears; it is this which induces the idle por- 

 tion of our people to prefer the more preca- 

 rious works of the manufacturer to the rough 

 but more manly exercises of the husbandman. 



Rearing Chickens. 



Having made some experiments in the rais- 

 ing of chickens, a business that forms a part 

 of every farmer's occupation, I send you a de- 

 scription of my present plan of operation, 

 which appears to answer admirably. Under 

 an out-house, 10 by 18 feet square, raised 3 

 feet above the ground, I have dug a cellar, 3 

 feet below the ground, making the height 6 

 feet altogether. Eight feet in width of this 

 cellar is partitioned off for turnips, the remain- 

 ing, 10 by 16 feet, being sufficiently large to 

 accommodate 100 chickens, or even more. 

 This cellar is enclosed with boards at present, 

 but it is intended to substitute brick walls in 

 a year or two. The roost is made sloping 

 from the roof to within 18 inches of the ground 

 or floor; 12 feet long by feet wide. The 

 roost is formed in this way : two pieces of 2 

 inch plank, 6 inches wide and 12 feet long, 

 are fastened parallel 5 feet apart by a spike 

 or pin to the joist above, the lower end rest- 

 ing on a post 18 inches above the ground. 

 Notches are made along the upper edge of 

 tlieso plank, one toot apart, to receive sticks 

 or poles from tlie woods, the bark on. When 

 it is desirable to clean out the roost, the poles 

 being loose are removed ; the supports work- 

 ing on a pivot, are raised and fastened up, 

 then all is clear for the work of clearing out. 

 1 next provide the chickens with corn, oats, 

 and buckwheat, in 3 separate apartments, 

 holding about half a bushel each, which are 

 kept always supplied. They eat less, I find, 

 if allowed to help themselves to what they 

 want, tlian if fed to them in the usual v\;ay ; 

 for in the latter case each tries to get as much 

 as it can, and thus burdens itself, but finding 

 in the former case that they have abundance, 

 they eat little and that generally in the morn- 

 ing early, and in the evening going to roost. 

 I have 60 chickens, and they eat about 6 

 quarts per day of the three kinds of grain, in 

 the proportion of twice as much corn as buck- 

 wheat or oats. In the roost is also a trough 

 of water, renewed every other day ; burnt 

 oyster-shells, shell-marl and ashes. A row 

 of nests is constructed after a plan of my own, 

 and does well. It is a box 10 feet long and 

 18 inches wide; the bottom level, the top 

 sloping at an angle of 45 degrees to prevent 

 the chickens roosting on it; the top opens on 

 hinges. The nests, eight in number, are one 

 foot square; the remaining six inches of the 

 width is a passage-way next to the wall, open 

 at each end of the box, and another opening 

 midway of the box. The advantage is to 

 give the hens the apparent secrecy they are 

 so fond of 



When fed plentifully in the winter, hena 

 lay enough eggs to pay for the grain, and in 

 the spring they will repay fourfold. — Culti' 

 vator. E. H. Vanvxm. 



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