ACCESSORIES TO THE POULTRY-HOUSE. 



73 



egg which may be made by any person, any 

 where, has been described in the Prairie Farmer 

 by Mr. Lathrope, of Lasalle, a gentleman who 

 keeps one hundred hens. 



The eggs are made of clay, formed to the 

 right shape in the hands. After being dried 

 they are whitewashed, and ready for use. These 

 eggs answer the purpose perfectly, the hens ac- 

 cepting them as those of their own make. Chalk, 

 formed to the shape of an egg, has also been 

 used ; and white marble turned to the proper 

 shape has been used for nest-eggs, but being 

 solid and heavy, they would break the real eggs 

 when coming in contact, on which account they 

 have been discarded. 



A very excellent artificial nest-egg can be 

 made of plaster, in the following manner : Take 

 an egg and break a small hole in the largest end, 

 of about a quarter of an inch in diameter ; in 

 the other end make a small hole with a pin, and 

 then blow the contents out of the larger hole. 

 Then take some calcined or boiled plaster, and 

 make a thin paste with water, and fill the shell, 

 which soon sets and becomes hard, and then 

 paste a small piece of white paper over the 

 holes, to prevent the hens from picking out the 

 plaster. 



But among all the plans and devices for arti- 

 ficial nest-eggs those made of glass exceed the 

 whole. It is the invention of some of our in- 

 genious Eastern neighbors, and the imitation is 

 so perfect, that Mrs. Biddy, with all her shrewd- 

 ness, could not detect it as counterfeit. They 

 are opake, and about the size and weight of 

 a common sized hen's-egg, and can be had at 

 the agricultural warehouses at one dollar per 

 dozen. 



FEEDING-HOPPERS. 



Some farmers are in the practice of feeding 

 their fowls from the hand, strewing it over the 

 ground, while others throw down the corn in 

 the ear in a heap, and permit the fowls to help 

 themselves. This is considered a slovenly and 

 wasteful mode, and well calculated to invite 

 rats and mice. In our experience we have 

 found it more economical to keep grain con- 

 stantly before them, and for that purpose adopt- 

 ed feeding-hoppers. 



Our first hopper was made after the plan of 

 Mr. Ames, who says, "Hoppers can be made 

 out of an old candle-box, to be had at any gro- 

 cery store for twenty-five cents. They are 18 

 inches long, 12 wide, and 10 inches deep. 



CHEAP FEEDING-HOPPEB. 



" Begin by taking off the lid and one of the 

 sides, leaving the two ends, bottom, and one 

 side remaining; then take the lid and cut a 

 small strip off one of the ends so as it will slip 

 in between the two ends of the box, placing the 

 lower edge one and a half inches from the side 

 and about an inch from the bottom ; the other 

 edge of the lid is to be brought out so as to reach 

 the top and outside corners of the ends. In this 

 position it will form a deep angular box with a 

 long aperture at the bottom. Two or three 

 nails will secure it in this position. The lid 

 now forming a slanting side, B, will be too wide 

 and project beyond the ends ; cut the strip off 

 and nail it across the bottom of the hopper so 

 as to form a trough, C, where the corn, when 

 put into the angular box, will descend through 

 the long aperture down into it. Take then the 

 side which you have not yet used, and with a few 

 tacks and some old shoe-leather make hinges 

 and put on the lid, A. The front or open part 

 of the hopper has a paling or row, D, of slats or 

 wire about two inches and a half apart, so that 

 the fowls can just get their heads between to 

 pick out the corn. These wires or slats should 

 be brought out to the edge of the box, so that 

 the fowls can but just reach the bottom of the, 

 angle or long aperture. The corn falls down 

 as the fowls pick it away." 



