250 THE POULTRY-BOOK. 



Each of these lodgings should be divided into two compart- 

 ments, one somewhat larger than the other. One compartment 

 is to be close and warm, for the sleeping-room ; the other, and 

 the larger one, should be airy and open, that the birds may 

 enjoy themselves in the day-time ; both must be kept particu- 

 larly dry and clean, and be well protected from the weather. 



" Among the most necessary appendages to every poultry- 

 house," says Richardson, " is'the HEN-LADDER. This is a 

 sort of ascending scale of perches, one a little higher than the 

 other ; yet not exactly above its predecessor, but somewhat in 

 advance. By neglecting the use of this very simple contriv- 

 ance, many valuable fowl may be lost or severely injured, by 

 attempting to fly down from their roost an attempt from 

 succeeding in which the birds are incapacitated, in consequence 

 of the bulk of their body preponderating over the power of 

 their wings. This would not, of course, take place among 

 wild birds ; but we are not to forget that our improvements in 

 the breed of all animals tend to remove the varieties on which 

 we expend our care gradually further and further from their 

 primitive condition, and conduce to deprive them of much of 

 their native activity, and, as our improvements proceed, to ren- 

 der them ultimately almost helpless ; hence the necessity for 

 such artificial aids as the hen-ladder." 



The office of keeping and managing domestic fowls should 

 be performed by some individual whom the hens know, as the 

 voice and presence of a stranger scare the fowls, and disturb 

 the operations of the hen-house. To distribute food and drink 

 at regular hours, to visit the nests, to remove eggs as soon as 

 laid, and carry them to a cool place, to examine, by candle-light, 

 what eggs are fecundated, arid to place these under the hen, 

 and mark the time, are among the daily duties performed by 

 the keeper. When the hens lay in a secret place, the keeper 



