24 MY POULTRY DAY BY DAY 
ready made and, of course, put down more capital than if I had 
built them myself. But I strongly advise the handy man to erect 
his own buildings. Some of the houses constructed by amateurs 
are equal, if not superior, to those made by the trade. I give an 
illustration of a fowl-house made by an amateur in Peckham, 
and erected in that densely populated part of London. Not only 
is it an excellent house, but it has the additional advantage of 
being a double-decker, so that the birds may, at will, walk up to 
the upper story and get a better view of the surrounding chimney 
pots. In fine weather the fowls can remain underneath in the 
house proper, and when the sun shines they can get all the air and 
asun-bath. There are many small ways that count, ways by which 
the intelligent amateur can improve the conditions for his birds. 
Perhaps there is no better means of increasing the nation’s food 
supply than by each family with the necessary accommodation 
keeping a few fowls for the supply of eggs to be used on the 
premises. 
A large number of people have recently taken up poultry for 
patriotic as well as economic reasons, but there are doubtless 
thousands of others who, favourably situated for poultry-keeping, 
are still holding back. Some may be afraid of the work involved, 
and others of the high price of poultry food. In neither instance 
is there the least need for hesitation. 
If the birds are fed on dry mash, as suggested from time to time 
in this book, half-an-hour a day will amply suffice for the work 
connected with anything up to twenty fowls, while I can safely 
promise that given even a moderate laying strain of young birds— 
Leghorns, for choice—the experiment will result in a handsome 
profit. 
Correspondents with small lots of hens kept in back-yards or 
small gardens keep sending me their records, and the results are 
splendid. A gentleman in a high position sends me the following : 
AN EXAMPLE 
«The following account may induce others to attempt to produce 
their own eggs. My home (detached) and garden of about one 
