226 Elementary Principles of Agriculture 



might harbor disease-producing germs and parasites. 

 The litter in the nests should be changed often. A dust 

 box should be in every poultry-yard. The poultry-house 

 may be simple in our climate, providing only a good 

 coop, with the north and west sides closed, leaving 

 the south wall partly open. The perches and nests 

 should not be very high. (Fig. 150.) 



Fig. 150. A simple poultry house. 



311. Feeding Poultry. The natural food of all domes- 

 ticated fowls, and, in fact, of nearly all birds, consists 

 of insects, seeds and grasses. They require plenty of 

 nitrogenous feeds, like insects, meat scraps, etc. For 

 confined fowls, cottonseed meal, milk, or the tankage 

 from the slaughter-house, make an excellent substitute 

 for the animal feeds. Any of the grains may be fed to 

 poultry. Green feed is very desirable for laying hens. 

 All birds require grit to assist in the grinding of the feed 

 in the gizzard. Coarse, sharp sand, crushed stone, or 



