The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



house, and the perch placed four or five inclies above it, a foot or more from the wall. The nests 

 are conveniently placed on tlie ground underneath, and need no top, whilst they are perfectly 



protected from defilement, and are also well shaded, to the 

 great delight of the hen. The shelf is scraped clean every 

 morning with the greatest ease and comfort, on account of its 

 convenient height, and slightly sanded afterwards ; whilst the 

 floor of the house is never polluted at all by the roosting 

 birds. For Cochins or Brahmas, the perch may be dispensed 

 with, and the shelf or floor littered with straw, shaken up 

 every night, and renewed weekly. This arrangement of 

 house, allowing as it does of the nests being placed imme- 

 diately under the perch, gives a greater amount of floor space 

 than any other, and also keeps the fowls from all upward 

 draughts of air ; but daily attention becomes in this case 

 absolutely necessarj', to keep the shelf from becoming foul 

 and infested with vermin. 



For enclosing the poultry-run, the cheapest material is 

 ordinaiy two-inch galvanised wire netting, a yard wide. This 

 will cost in England, retail, about sixpence per square yard ; 

 in quantities it can be bought for less. It may be fastened to the supports either with broad- 

 headed tacks, or preferably, and more durably, with small galvanised staples, which are sold for 

 the purpose. For those who desire a more ornamental appearance, and no trouble in erecting 

 supports, there are various poultry-fences manufactured, two of the most popular patterns 

 being here represented. The cost of either of these will be about six shillings per yard, si.K feet 



Fig. 2. 



a Broad shelf, eighteen inches high. 



b Perch, four inches above. 



c Nests, open at top and in front. 



I'"'g- 3- 



Fig. 4. 



high ; and, being very close at the bottom, they have the advantage of being proof against both 

 chickens and rats. For Bantams and Hamburghs, this height is not sufficient, and the run will 

 have to be either completely covered to confine them, or a ten-foot fence erected, iinless the 

 wings be cut. Brahmas and Cochins, on the contrary, will be easily confined within netting 

 only three feet high, provided there be no top to the fence beyond the selvage of the netting. 

 Quite sufficient support will be given to netting six feet high by posts one-and-a-half inches 

 square, pointed at the ends, tarred, and driven two feet into the ground. 



