238 COMMON OR BARN-DOOR FOWL, 
The coop may be constructed in the following man- 
ner : — A wooden frame, of eighteen inches square, with 
one door in front, in two halves, in the form of a grat- 
ing, to permit of the chicks getting easily out and in 
for their food, &c., and another door, outside of that, 
for shutting all in at night. Our own wooden frames 
are covered with coarse canvass, which is both lighter 
and cooler, than if constructed altogether of boards. 
For Turkeys the dimensions must be proportionally 
larger — about two feet square — formed in the same 
way. To prevent the other Poultry having access to 
the young brood, there should be a grating in front 
of the coop, in which the food and water is to be 
placed, and, in the course of the first or second day, 
the chicks will find their way to both. The vessel 
containing the water should, of course, be very shallow, 
with a few pebbles placed in it to prevent the birds 
getting wet — precautions which, although obvious, are 
sometimes not thought upon. Being economists in our 
way, we have constructed very suitable coops out of old 
tea-chests. 
At this stage of life many are the odd condiments 
recommended ; but the food should consist of coarse oat 
meal, or bruised grits, for the chicks, with oats for the 
mother. In a few days, a little soft boiled rice may be 
mixed with the meal, and they will have no objection 
to a few small worms, and a little chick-weed occa- 
sionally. We have fed our Turkeys most successfully 
