Feeding Chickens. 65 



and sound. It is best to have no bottom, but to put it on 

 loose dry earth or ashes, an inch or two deep. Each half 

 of the coop is about two feet six inches square, and may 

 or may not be lighted from the top by a small pane of 

 glass. The advantage of such a coop is that, except in 

 very severe weather, no further shelter is required, even at 

 night [if placed under a shed]. During the day the hen 

 is kept in the outer compartment, the chickens having 

 liberty, and the food and water being placed outside; 

 whilst at night she is put in the inner portion of the coop, 

 and a piece of canvas or sacking hung over the bars of the 

 outer half. If the top be glazed, a little food and the 

 water-vessel may be placed in the outer compartment at 

 night, and the chicks will be able to run out and feed early 

 in the morning, being prevented by the canvas from going 

 out into the cold air. It will be only needful to remove 

 the coop every two days for a few minutes, to take away 

 the tainted earth and replace it with fresh. There should, 

 if possible, be a grass-plot in front of the shed, the floor 

 of which should be covered with dry, loose dust or earth." 

 The hen should be kept under a coop until the brood has 

 grown strong. Some breeders object to cooping, on ac- 

 count of its preventing the hen from scratching for worms 

 and insects for her brood, and which are far superior to 

 the substitutes with which they must be supplied, unless, 

 indeed, a good supply of worms, ants' eggs, insects, or 

 gentles can be had. The hen too has not sufficient exercise 

 after her long sitting. Cooping thus has its advantages 

 and disadvantages, and its adoption or not should depend 

 upon circumstances. If it is preferred not to coop the hen, 

 and she should be inclined to roam too far, a small run may 

 be made with network, or with the moveable wirework 

 described on page 21. 



Winter-hatched chickens must be reared and fed in 

 a warm place, which must be kept at an equal tempera- 

 ture. They return a large profit for the great care they 

 require in hatching and rearing. 



Chickens should be fed very often ; every two hours is 

 not too frequently. The number of these meals must be 



