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7 he Illustrated Book of Poultry 
be lighted at the top by a small window. It is much used by the best poultry-breeders in some 
parts of France, and the advantage of it is that even in winter no further shelter is required ; as at 
night the hen is secured in the inner compartment, and the outer, being closed by a piece of canvas, 
forms a feeding apartment for the morning, the chicks being prevented by the canvas from going out 
into the cold air. Such coops may be either constructed without a bottom, in which case the earth 
under must be removed and replaced with fresh every two days, or may have a board floor, to be 
thoroughly cleansed and sprinkled with sand or dry earth daily. 
There should if possible be a grass-plot in front of the shed. Chickens can be reared without 
it, as we have proved by experience for years ; but nothing is so much in favour of growth, appetite, 
and vigorous health as even a small grass-plot, where it can be obtained. If this great advantage 
cannot be had, the best substitute is the liberal use of fresh grass, cut into small green chaff with a 
pair of shears, and both mixed with all the soft food and thrown down by itself, when it will be 
eagerly devoured. The broods cannot have too much of this, so long as it is eaten and not left to 
be trodden into the ground ; and such free use of grass is the most certain preventive of diarrhoea. 
Such a statement may surprise many ; but while the sudden use of green food after deprivation of 
it does undoubtedly cause severe disarrangement, the constant and regular use of grass has on fowls 
the contrary effect. If even grass cannot be had, lettuce chopped very fine is the best substitute, 
but grass is much to be preferred. 
When a shed is not at command, the very best coop for chickens we are acquainted with is one 
we made and described years ago, the chief feature of which is a raised inside floor. The coop is 
shown in Fig. 42 and the floor in 42A. The best size is two feet square, for which twelve feet 
planks, nine inches wide, will cut all the lengths without waste ; besides this will be needed some 
inch-square stuff to serve as framing at each corner, and along top and bottom of the front. To 
these pieces the boards are nailed, and we have made three coops complete in an afternoon. Each 
side takes two boards two feet long, and a half board cut diagonally; the back two boards. The 
top requires three boards one-fifth of twelve feet, with slats cut from the same length over the 
joins ; and the fifth piece is used in front, as shown. The front may be either wires inserted 
into the top and bottom rails, as shown, or be made of laths nailed on. 
The roof, when nailed on, projects an inch and a half all round the coop ; but besides this 
there is a loose shelter-board, hinged to the front of the roof so as to be capable of detach- 
ment. This is easily done by driving two small staples into the under side of the roof, into 
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