Housing 133 



Something had to be done to let in the fresh air. I would 

 let down the windows or open the door, but as sure as I 

 would do this I created a draught and in a couple of days it 

 showed its effect on thef hens. If any of them were slightly 

 afflicted with roup before I opened the window, I would find 

 that in a few days they would be worse. 



I tried in every way to ventilate the house, to let in a little 

 fresh air and to make it fit for a chicken to live in. They 

 would stand around with their wings hanging down, but I 

 could find no way to let in the fresh air without causing 

 either a forward-draught or a back-draught. I soon became 

 so familiar with the air currents that I knew just what kind 

 of a draught every little change in the ventilation would 

 make, and I could easily tell, even though I had not been 

 there that day, if the door of the house had been left open 

 for any length of time, as the roup would show so plainly 

 among the hens that were slightly affected. 



While I was trying to provide a cool, shady place for my 

 hens, I chanced to pass one of the lattice houses, of which 

 there were several on this place, which had formerly been 

 a nursery. Inside this house were several of my hens. They 

 were lying in there dusting themselves and otherwise enjoying 

 life. I could not help noticing how comfortable they were, 

 and I thought that it was not only comfortable for the hens 

 but for myself as well. 



Here were these hens enjoying life to the limit, while over 

 in the other house the hens were in misery from the heat. 

 How nice it would be if they were all over here ! I believe 

 in showing kindness to fowls, and I sat down in that lattice 

 house and began to think. How fine it would be if I only 

 had a place like this for a hen-house! Why not use one 

 of these buildings for my hens? But I could feel air currents 

 inside the lattice house and thought that it might be draughty, 



