ACCESSORIES TO THE POULTRY-HOUSE. 



jhe New York State Agricultural Society, held 

 at Albany in 1842, which excited considerable 

 attention, and was highly commended by the 

 committee. 



This feeding-hopper is two feet square, the 

 posts are eighteen inches high, and two inches 

 square ; the upper section of the box is six inch- 

 es deep, and the ends are morticed into or nail- 

 ed to the posts. From the bottom of this square 

 the tapering part of the grain-box reaches to 

 within one inch of the 

 floor, which should be 

 raised on feet about six 

 inches from the ground ; 

 the grain-box tapers to 

 one foot square, and to 

 bring the grain within 

 ^'^sSp?. reach of the fowls, a 

 cone, as shown at A in 

 the annexed figure, is 

 placed in the centre of the floor, and should be 

 as much smaller than the funnel part of the 

 hopper as to leave at least one inch space all 

 around the cone which forces the grain to the 

 edge, where, as the fowls pick the grain away, 

 more will fall and keep a constant supply with- 

 in reach of the fowls, as long as any is left in 

 the hopper. The slats on the sides are intend- 

 ed to prevent the fowls from getting into the 

 trough or crowding one another. This hopper 

 will hold about two bushels of grain, and if the 

 roof projected one foot all round it, it would 

 protect it completely from rain. It occupies 

 but little space, and from twelve to sixteen fowls 

 can feed at the same time. 



As we were constantly annoyed by the depre- 

 dations of rats (some of the old patriarchs would 

 not only help themselves bountifully, but actu- 

 ally contend with, and drive the fowls from their 

 food), in order to avoid their annoyance we 

 had a feeding-hopper constructed after the fol- 

 lowing plan, which is fully represented in the 

 figure. 



Its construction is so simple, that a man or 

 boy who can handle a saw, a plane, and a ham- 

 mer, with a few nails, could make one in a few 

 hours, and it would cost but a trifle. 



We will now give directions for making one. 

 First make a platform three feet square ; then 



make a square box of inch and a quarter plank, 

 three inches high and sixteen inches square'; 



STOOL FEEDING-HOPPEE. 



nail this square in the centre of the platform ; 

 saw four strips one and a quarter inches square 

 for the posts, which should be about eighteen 

 inches high ; nail strips of plank (which are not 

 seen in the figure) two inches wide to the posts 

 at top, to secure and steady them ; then take 

 common sawed lath, or thin strips of board one 

 and a half or two inches wide, and nail them to 

 the top and bottom, up and down, leaving a 

 space of two inches between each slat, which 

 will enable the fowls to insert their heads to 

 pick the grain. The roof may be formed four 

 square, like the engraving, or it may be made 

 flat, or pitching on two sides like the roof of n 

 house, and should be detached, so that it can 

 be raised when required to be replenished with 

 grain. 



In order to make it proof against rats and 

 mice, it will be necessary to elevate it at least 

 three feet from the floor, if in a building, and 

 this can be done by suspending it with wires 

 at each corner and attached to the timbers or 

 rafters above. The wires being small and 

 smooth, the rats and mice could not pass up or 

 down on them. If it is necessary to place the 

 feeding-hopper in the yard, it may be placed 

 on a post three feet high, and firmly set in the 

 ground, as shown in the engraving: the platform 



