34 



THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER, 



The water vessel must be filled fresh every day at least, 

 and so arranged that the birds cannot scratch dirt into it or 

 make it foul. The ordinary poultry-fountain is too well 

 known to need description, but a better form, made in two 

 parts, is shown in Fig. 1 1 . The advantages of such a con* 

 struction are that the interior can be examined, and the 

 vessel well sluiced out to remove the 

 green slime which always collects by 

 degrees, and is very prejudicial to 

 health. For large-combed breeds it is 

 necessary to use shallow pans ; but 

 these must be filled frequently. When 

 the water has to be placed in a shed 

 filled with loose earth, to which the 

 fowls are confined, it should be a little 

 raised, and a piece of board or other 

 protection be so placed as to protect 

 it from dirt being scratched into it. 



Grown-up fowls must never be left 

 without water. During a frost, there- 

 fore, the fountain should be emptied 



every night, or there will be trouble next morning. Care 

 must always be taken, also, that snow is not allowed to fall 

 into the drinking vessel. The reason has puzzled wiser 

 heads than ours, but it is a fact that any real quantity of 

 snow-water seems to reduce both fowls and birds to mere 

 skeletons. 



It is well in winter to add to the water a few drops of a 

 solution of sulphate of iron (green vitriol), just enough to 

 give a slight mineral taste. This will in a great measure 

 guard against roup, and act as a bracing tonic generally. 

 The rusty appearance the water will assume is quite 

 immaterial, but may be avoided by adding a few drops of 

 sulphuric acid. The best plan, perhaps, is to keep a large 



