THE NEED FOR POULTRY 23 
course, if there be a suitable brick building in your yard, it can 
usually be adapted for the accommodation of fowls. The chief 
thing is to make sure of sufficient light and ventilation. 
The Hon. Mrs Lionel Guest wrote a delightful little pamphlet 
on “Poultry without Capital.” In it she advocated the back- 
yarder “‘ borrowing ”’ a piano case and converting it into a fowl- 
house. In the event of any reader being unable to “ borrow ” 
a large packing-case, he can no doubt purchase wood, new or 
second-hand, that will do equally well, or better. Mrs Guest’s 
Poultry without Capital reminds me of the man who was 
determined to begin poultry-farming. He stole a setting of eggs 
from a farmer, borrowed a broody hen, from the same man, and 
collected enough wood to make a house whilst the chicks were 
being hatched. That was Poultry without Capital, but on the 
whole, it is considered more respectable, if less enterprising, to buy 
your poultry and your house. 
It is wonderful, though, how easy it is to make a small poultry- 
house. If one cannot afford the £2 or so necessary to buy a 
house to accommodate six hens, you may be able to pick up some 
wood in the form of large packing-cases, bacon boxes and the like. 
Splendid bacon boxes made of strong one-inch matching may be 
bought from most provision merchants for about 2s. each. Four 
of these will be found sufficient to make a house 6 feet by 5 feet 
by 4 feet. You will find plenty of good designs in any penny 
poultry paper, and all that will be necessary besides locks, keys, 
wire for windows, and perches, is enough creosote to give the wood 
one coat to preserve it from the weather. If you are not fortunate 
enough to get good, stout wood cheaply, five-eighths matching, 
or even smaller, will do, provided it is covered back and side with 
tar felting, which will keep out cold and rain and last for years. 
A man handy with saw and hammer need not spend more than a 
sovereign on a house to hold six birds. There is a certain added 
pleasure in putting up your own sheds. One can point to the 
house and say, “‘ Alone I did it.” 
Personally, I am a poor hand with tools, and would rather 
pay than work on an uncongenial job, so I bought all my houses 
