On the Rearing and Management of Poultry. 



167 



windows should be placed in both sides of the house, and made 

 sufficiently wide to admit a free current of air as soon as the 

 turkeys are old enough to require it. The house should have 

 two doors, similar to those in the fowl-house, one opening to the 

 front and the other to the back. We shall take the situation of 

 the nests into consideration hereafter. 



The Goose-house. — On many farms geese are not kept, there- 

 fore a goose-house is not wanted. Where ihey are kept, a house 

 adjoining that occupied by the turkeys is in the best situation. 

 We need say liiile respecting its construction. The great thing 

 to be attended to is cleanliness. The hf)use should be very 

 frequently cleaned, and the floor strewed with some dry material, 

 in the same manner as the fowl-house. 



The duck-house should be kept in the same manner as the 

 goose-house, and, should there be a loft, it will be an excellent 

 place for pigeons. 



In concluding my remarks on the poultry-houses, I beg to 

 insist on the necessity of having the ground on which they stand 

 most effectually drained. The rain-water should be carried from 

 the roof by spouts. Every possible means should be used to keep 

 the buildins: free from dampness ; especially as the health of the 

 poultry greatly depends on the dryness and comfort of their 

 habitation. 



Grass-plot. — In the plan I have adopted, a grass-plot in front 

 of the house is almost mdispensable. As lo its dimensions, it should 

 be about 40 yards m length, and 20 in breadth at the widest 

 end. It admits of being tastefully laid out with gravel walks and 

 shrubs. Gravel is indispensable, for without it poultry could not 

 be kept in perfect health for any length of time ; the shrubs will 

 afford shelter from both sun and rain. A small quantity of 

 slaked lime should be placed in some convenient corner. As 

 fowls are fond of rolling themselves among dry ashes, on no 

 account should they be deprived of this amusement, and, more- 

 over, there can be no doubt but the ashes are pernicious to the 

 vermin with which all poultry are more or less infested. The 

 ashes should be protected from rain. 



Poultry should at all times have free access to pure water; it 

 is therefore highly necessary to have a trough placed in the plot. 

 If a stream of water can be brought to it, nothing more is re- 

 quired ; but should this be impracticable^ fresh water must be 

 daily supplied. 



The trough must be covered in a way to prevent the voung 

 chicks from falling into it; open wicker-work will answer the 

 purpose better than anything else, care being taken not to have 

 the spaces between the rods so large as to admit a chick to pass. 



