400 



NEW ENGLAND FARMER. 



Sept. 



RBABINQ POUIiTKY. 



In a letter from a correspondent, some weeks 

 since, we were requested to give the plan of a 

 cheap and convenient poultry house, and to say 

 something of its necessary surroundings. We re- 

 ply with pleasure, as we believe the rearing of 

 poultry on the farm is one of its most interesting 

 items to every person of feeling and taste. Chil- 

 dren find great pleasure in it, and, in its care, form 

 habits of system, and learn to share the labors 

 and responsibilities of life. Added to this, no 

 item of the farm, where an equal amount is in- 

 vested, affords so much profit. Then there is the 

 convenience of having the nicest poultry and eggs 

 for the table, just when they are wanted, or the 

 equally high gratification of supplying friends 

 from the siarplus. 



The plan of a poultry house, which we give 

 above, is simple, and may be very cheaply con- 

 structed, as there is but little about it that most 

 farmers cannot supply from their own farms. A 

 small amount for glazing and hardware is all, and 

 the rest is labor and lumber, the latter being the 

 principal item of cost. The lumber may be cut 

 from the farm forest, hauled to the mill, sawed 

 and brought home in the winter, and the shingles 

 may also be conveniently prepared by a great 

 many farmers, with a trifling outlay only of money. 



The building should be set but a short distance 

 from the dwelling-house, so that it may be com- 

 fortably reached at all seasons of the year; but 

 not so near as to mar the prospect, or disturb the 

 family, in any sense. The internal arrangements 

 may be as we have suggested, or they may be 

 changed to suit the taste of the proprietor ; but 

 they should be so contrived as to give the fowls 

 an opportunity to bathe in the sunshine in winter 

 as much as possible. If this is done, they may 

 often be found in groups, in the sunny places, 

 enjoying themselves in the most satisfactory man- 

 ner. This makes them bright, healthy, and con- 

 stant layers, when other things are favorable. 

 The roosts should be low, and easily reached, as 



well-fed hens, who are usually filled with eggs in 

 difi'erent stages of growth, are often injured by 

 getting down from high roosts. 



The fowls should always have access, both sum- 

 mer and winter, to dry loam, sand, and wood- 

 ashes, mixed, and to food of some kind, such as 

 wheat, oats, barley, buckwheat, rye, mashed pota- 

 toes, mixed with a little lard, scraps of meat, and 

 a feed once or twice a day of dry corn. If the 

 latter is kept constantly before them, they reject 

 the other grains for the corn, are apt to get very 

 fat, and cease laying. In the summer they should 

 always be able to reach the cool, moist earth, by 

 scratching a little, and if they cannot pluck grass 

 or other vegetables for themselves, they should 

 be fed to them. A cheap and easy mode of doing 

 this, is to sow lettuce in any of the spare places 

 in the garden, by the walks, in the corners, or 

 along the outside rows of the corn-field, and when 

 it gets two or three inches above the ground, feed 

 it out. There are few things that fowls are more 

 fond of. They must have vegetables in some 

 form, in order to make them profitable. 



A liberal range for the fowls, in a yard where 

 there is shade and pure water, is of great impor- 

 tance. They must also be supplied with lime 

 and gravel in some form. Old mortar, coarse 

 sand, and bones, pounded into small pieces, 

 should be frequently, if not always, before them. 



When these things which we have suggested, 

 are supplied, fowls are not discontented in con- 

 finement, but will crow and cackle their gratitude, 

 and make the morning joyous with their cheerful 

 music, and we believe will afford a larger profit 

 than when running at large, unless it be on farms 

 where there is a considerable dropping of grain 

 in the fields, or about the buildings. 



The house may be large or small, according to 

 one's wants ; but one eight feet wide by twelve 

 in length, and eight or ten feet high, will accom- 

 modate from 20 to 30 fowls. 



Figure 1, is a perspective view. Figure 2, is 

 the ground plan ; a, is the door-way ; 6, the grain- 

 chests ; c, the feeding-boxes ; d, the stairway to 

 the loft, and e, a small opening for the fowls to 

 pass in and out. 



Give the Children Fresh Air. — Some • pa- 

 rents make the mistake of keeping their children 

 in doors during cold weather. Such a pr&ctice is 

 pernicious in many respects. It enfeebles the 



