524 POULTHY CULTURE 



early spring when the ground is cold and wet. Later, it 

 is dispensed with and the hen is set on the ground. Her 

 young are brooded on the ground later on. The area on 

 which the coop rests should be slightly higher than the sur- 

 rounding ground to insure the dirt floor being dry. The top 

 of the coop is covered with rubberoid or other equally good 

 roofing material. The front is slatted with one slat removable 

 and slat hinged at the middle so that it may be placed without 

 removing the top. To keep out rats and other nocturnal 

 animals, a frame is made 2 feet square on which is tacked 

 J^-inch mesh wire netting. This netting frame is placed in 

 front of the house at night and allows of an abundance of air, 

 yet at the same time protects the brood. A door, 8 inches 

 wide and hinged at the bottom, is constructed at the side of 

 the coop and gives ready access to the interior of the coop 

 without removal of the top. The extension run is 4 feet 

 or the length of the plaster lath. The framing material 

 on which the laths are nailed is made of 2-inch by 2-inch 

 material. A door is constructed at the top and hinged with 

 two small hinges. The run is divided into two compartments, 

 the one for the hen a httle larger than the other one. The 

 hen is allowed her run while sitting and while brooding. The 

 baby chicks may be fed in their own compartment where they 

 are not molested, and the hen is fed a cheaper feed consisting 

 of grain. The slats are arranged 2 inches apart which allows 

 the chicks to enter but keeps out the larger birds (see Fig. 148). 



