Chapter X. 

 THE VILIvAGE HENNERY. 



In cold weather keep your eyes open and the cracks in the 

 hen house closed. — Harriet. 



The hen turns grass into greenbacks, grain into gold, and 

 even coins sih'er out of sand. 



Persons living in towns and villages may often- 

 times find pleasure and profit in keeping a small 

 flock of poultry. The mistake most frequently made 

 by those who undertake to do so is in attempting to 

 keep too manv. When confined in small yards they 

 become unhealthy and unproductive ; if permitted to 

 roam they become a nuisance in the neighborhood 

 and a prolific source of unneighborly feeling and 

 of disputes which only a justice of the peace can 

 settle. 



To maintain a peaceful mind and a quiet com- 

 munity attention should be paid to the variety of 

 fowls kept, and to the yard fences. The Asiatic 

 breeds are particularly fitted by their quiet nature and 

 indisposition to rove for stocking a village hennery. 

 They not only thrive better in close confinement than 

 the smaller and more active breeds, but are more 

 easily confined. A fence four feet high will restrain 

 them. If the fence be made of wire netting, a six- 

 inch fence slat at the bottom and three feet of netting 

 above it will be sufficient. Temporary runs can be 

 made for them in the garden or an^-where, by driving 



