AMERICAN AGRICULTURIST, 
141 
For the American Agriculturist. 
Care of Young Poultry. 
Most of the early broods of chickens have now 
been hatched, and are claiming the care of the 
farmer’s wife and daughters. Pains taken with 
them now, will be well repaid in the Summer and 
Fall, when the “ pot-pie ” smokes on the table, 
and returns come from those sent to market. 
Experience has proved cooked food to be better 
for young fowls, than raw meal, hastily wet just 
before feeding. For young chickens, curdled 
(loppered) milk is an excellent diet, which they 
eat with great apparent relish. When meal is 
given, it should be coarse, and well cooked. It 
is not necessary, however, to cook the meal for 
chickens after the first few weeks. Cracked corn 
or millet can then be easily managed by them. 
A liberal supply of milk curds will be found good 
at any stage of their growth. Great benefit, both 
to the fowls and fruit trees, may be derived from 
locating the chicken coops in the 
fruit yard. The active, sharp-eyed 
little chirpers are very quick to dis¬ 
cover the larvae of curculioand other 
destructive insects, as they emerge 
from the ground to commence their 
depredations, and scarce one will es¬ 
cape their scrutiny ; while, in addi¬ 
tion, such worms and insects are, in 
part, the natural food of fowls. I 
Dave succeeded in this way in ma¬ 
turing the fruit of some fine cherry 
trees, in good order, free from 
worms, where in previous years, I 
had failed to gather any worth speak¬ 
ing of, though I tried many remedies. 
The “ pip” or “gapes ” is one of 
the most troublesome difficulties to 
ne overcome in raising chickens. It 
is probably the result of inflamma¬ 
tion in the wind-pipe and its branches, attended 
with the presence of small worms, which some 
suppose are the immediate cause of the disease. 
This inflammation may, undoubtedly, be caused 
by exposure of the young chickens in wet weather, 
or in the grass before the morning dew is off. 
Sometimes, also, the coop is neglected, and the 
bottom of it allowed to remain wet, which would 
be followed by the same effects. Improper food 
may also cause the disease. Experienced poultry 
breeders have recommended the use of salt with 
the food, as a preventive and cure for gapes. It 
must be used sparingly, however, or it would kill 
the chickens as well as the worms. 
COLUMBIA CO., N. Y. 
Another Correspondent, W. S. Peck, Fair- 
field Co., Ct., states that he has entirely prevent¬ 
ed “gapes” in his chickens, by removing their 
coops from the immediate vicinity of the house, 
say across the road, or to the open field. Cure of 
this disease is difficult, and prevention is certain¬ 
ly desirable. 
-—.- — ——*-•>- 
“Those Hens.” 
To the Editor of the Ameritan Agriculturist : 
I saw in a former number of the Agriculturist, 
an article headed “ What is the matter with the 
hens 1” that is why don’t they supply more eggs! 
My answer in their behalf is, that they too often 
are confined in a small dry yard surrounded with 
a high fence—having slight shade, access to no 
green thing, with little to eat and less to drink— 
and yet they are expected by those simpler than 
themselves, to go on laying, at that ! Oh, yes ! 
“hens were made to lay”—they can’t help them¬ 
selves ; eggs are probably made of heat, dirt, and 
sunshine' Now Mr. Editor, I have been troubled 
as much as my neighbors have, about the hens. 
If they were permitted to range, they would do 
mischief; if confined, they would not lay ; so, as 
it did not involve any important principle, I com¬ 
promised—confined them in the yard, gave them 
enough to eat and drink, and at about 4 o'clock, 
every afternoon, set them free. This gave them 
just time enough to range wherever they would, 
the grasshoppers, bugs and flies were unexhaust¬ 
ed, and before the scratching process com¬ 
menced they were obliged to yield to the strong¬ 
er instinct and go to roost. The experiment was 
entirely suecessftil; no injury was done to the 
garden or grounds, but a benefit by the destruc¬ 
tion of insects ; they laid well, seemed quite con¬ 
tent with their confinement, in view of a daily 
range, and it was a great pleasure to hear their 
cheerful notes and witness their enjoyment, when 
set free. p. 
Burlington f Vt . 
- J -a ij fc r-fc- 
A Poultry House. 
No country establishment is complete without 
a poultry house. Indeed, every family in the coun¬ 
try, whether devoted to agriculture or not, should 
have one. To the mechanic it is important; so 
it is to the merchant and professional man. No 
direction or rule can be given as to the size of it. 
If it is partly designed to supply eggs and poultry 
for sale, it may, of course, be proportioned to the 
demand there is for its products. If the products 
are wanted for home consumption only, the size 
of the family should regulate the size of the fowl- 
house, and the number of its tenants. These are 
matters which all can decide for themselves. 
NVhat might answer for one family might not an¬ 
swer for another. Some, too, are especially fond 
of eggs ; others care less about them. The same 
is true in regard to the flesh of poultry. This, 
also, will have its influence. 
The keeping and rearing of poultry has become 
quite an important branch of rural economy. 
The subject, until within a few years, has at¬ 
tracted little or no attention in this country. It 
may, at first, be viewed as too insignificant to 
merit serious consideration. This is natural. 
Little things are frequently treated with contempt, 
although, in the aggregate, they assume magni¬ 
tude, surpassing credulity. This is, literally, so 
with poultry. Because a fair stock of hens 
can be bought for two or three dollars, they are 
regarded as beneath the rank that entitles them 
even to kind treatment, especially if viewed in 
connection with expected remuneration. But, 
although the breeding stock of hens on a farm 
may be estimated at three dollars only, the fair 
valuation of all the hens in the country gives 
them a commercial importance ranging with 
some of our best products. 
Many persons commence house-keeping by first 
procuring a wife and then a house ; but as this 
system has its inconveniences, we recommend to 
begin with a house. First procure the cage, then 
the bird. Previous, therefore, to getting a stock 
of poultry, provide for them a house. If it is de¬ 
sired to confine fowls to a yard for all or a por- 
tion of the time, it will be indispensable to their 
health and productiveness, to have suitable ac¬ 
commodations. Do not confine them in seven-by- 
nine yards, as some we have noticed in the coun¬ 
try ; give them room. The accommodations 
need not be expensive, but the fixtures should be 
efficient and complete, so as to secure the safety 
of the fowls. The houses and yards, therefore, 
must be constructed according to the purposes of 
the proprietor. He who keeps a cock and four 
or five hens, merely for his own supply, will re¬ 
quire a very simple arrangement; but the proprie¬ 
tor who breeds for sale and profit, 
as well as home use, must have 
a more elaborate arrangement. 
Where the fowls have the range of 
an orchard, or a wide, dry, sandy 
pasture, or field, and are able to pro¬ 
cure clean water, a good poultry- 
house is all that is essential, though 
even then, an inclosure or yard is de¬ 
sirable, for the safety and better 
management of the young broods. It 
should be open and airy, its soil dry, 
and sheltered from cold wintry 
winds, by a high close fence, or a belt 
of thick evergreens ; or a simple 
shed should be erected in some suit¬ 
able spot, in order to afford the fowls 
a screen from the hot rays of the 
mid-day sun in Summer, and from 
heavy rain storms and showers. 
Should there be no access to a pasture, or or¬ 
chard, or field, it is desirable that a portion of the 
yard be laid down with grass ; and the larger the 
yard the better the accommodation. 
THE WRITER’S POULTRY-HOUSE. 
In a sequestered nook, and cluster of trees, on 
the sunny side of a high bank, surmounted by 
rocks covered with shrubbery, may be seen the 
new fowl-house, lately erected by the writer. 
This location was selected for the purpose of pro¬ 
tection from the cold northern blasts, and receiv¬ 
ing the warmth and benefit of the Winter’s sun. 
The deciduous trees in front being deprived of 
their foliage in Winter, admits the full influence 
of the sun, and, when in full leaf, to shade and 
ward off his searching rays in Summer. 
Description .—The elevation, as will be seen in 
the figure accompanying this article, is a rather 
pretty affair. Thecentre building, with the gable 
to the front, is tw’elve feet square; eight feet 
posts. The roof very steep, and surmounted with 
a kind of cupola, for the purpose of ventilation 
and ornament; in the bottom of this are two 
small swing doors, to close up when necessary. 
The roof is of one and-a-quarter inch plank, 
tongued and grooved, the joints painted with 
white lead, and battened. The entire front is of 
glass, extending to the very point at the top. 
The left wing is a lower edifice, twenty-two 
feet long and ten feet wide. The floor, which is 
of broken stone covered with fine gravel, is sunk 
below the surface, two feet in front and eight 
feet in the rear. The back wall resting against 
the bank, is of stone, twmnty inches thick, faced 
with brick. The front wall and ends are also Ot 
brick. The roof has a gentle pitch to the rear 
and made of one-and-a-quarter inch plank, tongued 
