Ventilation. 9 



Where double boarding is employed for the sides, the 

 house may be made much warmer by filling up the space 

 with straw, or still better with marsh reeds, so durable for 

 thatching. This plan, unfortunately, affords a shelter for 

 rats, mice, and insects, and therefore, if adopted, it will be 

 highly advantageous to form the inside boarding in panels, 

 so as to be removable at pleasure for examination and 

 cleansing. 



For the roof, tiles or slates alone are not sufficient, but, 

 if used, must have a boarding or ceiling under them ; other- 

 wise all the heat generated by the fowls will escape through 

 the numerous interstices, and it will be next to impossible 

 to keep the house warm in winter. A corrugated roof of 

 galvanised iron may be used instead, but a ceiling also will 

 be absolutely necessary for the sake of warmth. A rough 

 ceiling of lath and plaster not only preserves the warmth 

 generated by the fowls and keeps out the cold, but has the 

 great advantage of being easily lime-washed, an operation 

 that should be performed at least four or five times a year. 

 Boards alone make a very good and cheap roof. They 

 may be laid either horizontally, one plank overlapping the 

 other, and the whole well tarred two or three times, and 

 once every autumn afterwards ; or they may be laid per- 

 pendicularly side by side, fitting closely, in which case they 

 should be well tarred, then covered with old sheeting, 

 waste calico, or thick brown paper tightly stretched over 

 it, and afterwards brushed over with hot tar, or a mixture 

 of tar boiled with a little lime, and applied while hot; 

 this, soaking through the calico, cements it to the roof, and 

 makes it waterproof. But board covered with patent felt, 

 and tarred once a year, is the best. The roof ought to 

 project considerably beyond the walls, in order to prevent 

 the rain from dripping down them. 



Ventilation is most important, and the house should be 

 high, especially if there are many fowls, for by having it 

 lofty a current of air can pass through it far above the 

 level of the fowls, and purify the atmosphere without 

 causing a draught near them. They very much dislike a 

 draught, and will alter their positions to avoid it ; and if 



