CONFINED CHICKEN RUNS. 



55 



fowls ; and the reason why difficulty is often experienced in 

 rearing large numbers is, that the ground insensibly becomes 

 tainted with their excrements. The coop should, therefore, 

 either be moved to a fresh place every day, or the dry earth 

 under be carefully renewed. The detached wooden bottom 

 just described should be covered every morning and evening 

 half an inch deep with perfectly dry earth, or fine sifted 

 ashes. The ashes are renewed every evening in five 



Fig. 1 6. Protected Chicken Run. 



minutes, and form a nice warm bed for the chicks, clean 

 and sweet, and much better than straw. 



Cats sometimes make sad inroads on the broods. If this 

 nuisance be great, it is well to confine the coveted prey 

 while young within a wire-covered run. And the best way 

 of forming such a run is to stretch some inch-mesh wire- 

 netting, two feet wide, upon a light wooden frame, so as to 

 form wire hurdles two feet wide and about six feet long. 

 These are easily lashed together with string to form a run 

 and may be covered by similar hurdles (Fig. 16). In such 

 a run all animal depredations may be defied, until the 

 chicks are a fortnight old ; it also saves a world of trouble 

 and anxiety, and prevents the brood wandering and getting 

 over-tired. But after that age the chicks suffer, unless the 



