PLANS OF YARDS. ig 



this object by having it open at either end would cause 

 draught, and destroy the peculiar excellence of the arrange- 

 ment. The houses, B, for roosting and laying in are 7^ feet 

 by 4 feet, and the side facing the passage is only built 01 

 boarded up about 2 feet, the remainder being simply netted; 

 hence the birds have a free supply of the purest air at night, 

 whilst quite protected from the external atmosphere ; and 

 can be all inspected at roost without the least disturbance 

 a convenience of no small value. The nests should be 

 reached from the passage by a trap-door, and there is then 

 no necessity ever to enter the roosting-house at all, except 

 to clean it. 



A small trap-door as usual, which should be closed at 

 night, communicates between the houses and the covered 

 runs or yards, C, which are 7^ feet by 9 feet. They are 

 boarded or built up for 2 feet 6 inches, the remainder netted, 

 except the partition between them and the houses, which is, 

 of course, all board. Both houses and runs must be covered 

 with some deodoriser, and Mr. Lane preferred the powdery 

 refuse from lime works, which costs about id. per bushel, 

 and which he put down about 2 inches deep. It always kept 

 perfectly dry, and is a great preventive of vermin : whilst if 

 the droppings are taken up every morning, it will require 

 renewal very rarely. It is, however, fatal to the colour of 

 yellow-legged breeds. In front of all is a grass-run, which 

 should extend as far as possible, and on which the fowls are 

 let out in turn in fine weather. 



An additional story, E, may or may not be constructed 

 over the roosting-house, and in case of emergency, by 

 sprinkling the eggs, may be made to accommodate sitting 

 hens, but is not to be preferred for that purpose, for reasons 

 given in Chapter III. Every poultry-keeper, however, 

 knows the great utility of such pens on various occasions 

 which continually arise, and they will be found excellent 



