Various Plans for Varus. 
contrivances, were pressed into the service. For rearing chickens, Mr. Wragg is very partial to 
low, open sheds, about three feet in height, such as are shown in plan at 52, 83, and 84 ; and what 
was originally a “cow-yard” and shed, at 85, at our visit accommodated as promising a lot of 
chickens, about five months old, as could be seen anywhere. Small wooden coops, or houses, are 
also employed to harbour the chickens; and, as a rule, Mr. Wragg endeavours to keep all his 
) oung stock at liberty till pretty full grown. During all this time they have unlimited grass-run, 
and lay the foundation of a constitution which shall be proof against all ordinary circumstances. 
In the establishment we have thus endeavoured to describe, the system of separate pens for 
accommodating surplus birds, which we have spoken of as so necessary in a “ fancier’s ” yard, is 
carried to a very great extent ; but the same object may be attained in very various ways, and 
as an example of quite different management, we may refer to a plan adopted for many years 
by Mr. Henry Beldon, at Goitstock, Bingley. This gentleman was, perhaps, the most extensive 
breeder and exhibitor in England ; but always had a great part of his stock reared at so much 
per head by the cottagers round, bringing them in as they were wanted for exhibition or sale. The 
breeding birds were sheltered in small detached houses in different parts, each lot having ample 
grass-run, the whole extent being about fifteen acres. Of course, a tolerable number of chickens 
were also reared at home, and so far all was plain ; but the visitor to Goitstock, in the old days, 
looked in vain for the numerous pens he expected to find, each containing one of the handsome 
Hamburgh cocks for which Mr. Beldon had so enviable a reputation, and which he knew were 
about the place sornezvhere. The truth is, Mr. Beldon had, undoubtedly, “ the largest poultry- 
house ” in England, in the shape of an old disused factory or mill, which showed no sign 
whatever outside of the novel use to which it was devoted. This immense building measured 
about one hundred and twenty by thirty feet in plan, and consisted of four floors, all of which 
were occupied by fowls, some of them being kept there, entirely under cover, for months together, 
excepting what time they might spend at various shows. One floor only was wood, but even 
this was kept in perfect health by cleanliness and sanding, and occasionally moving the birds to 
parts which had been unoccupied. Two floors were devoted entirely to rows of pens about ten 
feet square, down each side of the building, each pen having a window, and a wide passage being 
left down the centre between. The other floors were left more open, but also accommodated 
many birds ; and in this novel manner Mr. Beldon for years effectually secured the object 
we have been considering. Of course, chickens could not be reared in health under such circum- 
stances ; but when brought up out of doors, and fully matured, Mr. Beldon found no difficulty 
in keeping them in good condition, and the whitest plumage never became tanned by the sun. 
No precisely similar circumstances are likely to occur in any other case ; but the large building 
taken advantage of in this ingenious manner may perhaps furnish useful hints to many an amateur. 
Lastly, supposing an entirely new yard is to be erected, of great extent, and that the space 
is ample and unencumbered by large trees or other hindrances, some such plan as shown on the 
following page (Fig. 10) may be adopted with great advantage in many ways. It is eminently 
adapted"" for either breeding and rearing fancy fowls, or for producing eggs and poultry in large 
quantities for market. The plan provides for each pen its own permanent grass-run, which is 
here represented as forty-five by twenty feet, for a Cochin cock and four hens; but for Spanish, 
or similar breeds, eighteen by thirty-five feet would be sufficient. The pens for single birds may 
be added or omitted at discretion, the essentials of the plan being the covered passage 
between the rows of houses, which gives both shelter and the least possible amount of labour 
in attending to a large number of fowls. If the small pens be many, as the sheds will be 
longer and grass-runs wider, the length of the grass-plots may be reduced in proportion. Next 
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