THE MANAGEMENT OF POULTRY 309 



fowls in a mixture made of fifty parts water to one part of 



chlo' ro naph thd' le um. 



Water. Chickens need a constant supply of clean water. 



A good way to keep it clean is to buy a water fountain in 

 which they cannot make the water unclean. 

 A home-made drinking fountain can be 

 made as follows : with a nail make a hole 

 in a can about half an inch from the open 

 end. Fill the can full of water and over it 

 place a pan about two inches deep. Quickly 



invert both. The water will stand in the pan 

 FIG. 203. A HOME- . 



MADE DRINKING as high as the hole in the can (Fig. 203). 



FOUNTAIN Poultry-houses, incubators, and brooders. 



a, hole in inner tin j i^u i_ij-u .. 



A good poultry-house should be venti- 

 lated, but not crossed by draughts of air. 

 Sunshine should be let in to keep it dry and to destroy 

 germs of certain diseases. The roosts should be movable 

 and smooth, so as not to afford hiding places for vermin. 

 Some careful poultry-breeders build a platform under the 

 roost and a foot or two below. This keeps the floor clean 

 and saves all the manure, which is much richer than that 

 from the larger farm animals. 



EXERCISE. Weigh a dozen eggs ; write the weight in your notebook. 

 Are they all of the same size? Of the same color? Try to think why 

 eggs that have become greasy do not hatch well. 



NOTE TO THE TEACHER. Encourage statements from pupils about 

 familiar facts connected with the management of poultry, kinds of foods 

 used, best location of nests for different fowls, etc. If any one can find 

 an old can and pan, let him or her make a drinking fountain, and show in 

 class how it operates. See whether any pupil would like to make one 

 for use at home. Parents would appreciate one. 



