164 POULTRY BREEDING AND MANAGEMENT 



Did you ever notice when the curfew of the poultry 

 yard summons the fowls to their roost, that they usual- 

 ly go to bed on the branches of the trees if there is 

 one near by ? Not long ago the writer watched a flock of 

 fine chickens "retire" for the night. The farmer had 

 built good houses for the flock, but near the houses there 

 was a giant oak tree decorated by nature with mistletoe. 

 One after another the hens flew into this tree, hopping 

 from one branch to another until some of them reached 



A HOUSE WITH INSUFFICIENT VENTILATION 



About the worst ever built. 



the topmost branches, higher than the highest barn on 

 the farm. It was interesting to see the chickens nestle 

 down under the mistletoe for the night while the roosts 

 in the poultry houses were vacant. 



On another occasion the writer watched a flock of hens 

 retire for the night where they had the choice of two 

 houses. One was a sort of shed affair with one side about 

 all open ; it was a fresh-air house. The other was a closed 

 house with a few small holes for ventilation. About nine 

 out of every ten of the hens crowded into the open house, 



