The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-01-22

tRRASGEMESrs FOR THEIR SHELTER.
The first and ono o. the most conducive
points to success in the raising and keeping
of fowls, and which in fact may he said to
be an absolute necessity if it would be made
profitable is suitable home for roosting,
laying, etc, aud in this climate, with our
long cold wiutcr &c may rest assured that
too mcuh care cannot be taken in securing
for them, warm suitable shelter If poul-
try are uncarcd for. or kept in cold dismal
corners, or left t. becom. completely
chilled through each night in some open
carriage house, we may not expect they
will produce eggs during winter, and shall
be certain that they will begin laying very
late in spring, whereas ii furnished with
good warm houses, and clean nests, we may
receive proper allowance Of eggs through
the entire winter, and shall be astonished
at the wonderful productivencss ofthc brood
almost before snow begins to leave the
ground.
The idea prevails generally among those
who have not made the care of poultry Il
study, that any place is good enough for
fowls This is entirely erroneous, we would
not think of letting our cattle or sheep take
care of themselves in winter, and it should
be taken into consideration that there is no
creature of any description which pays so
we'll for the amount invested as our poul-
try.
! have no intention of asking my readers
to enter into the expensive experiment of
building fancy "hen house," there is 10
necessity, unless engaging in poultry raising
on large scale, for the expenditure of but
Il small amount of money, to provide n
warm comfortable shelter
Nearly all of our farmers can select Il
part of some shed about the premises which
can be suitably arranged for a mere tri-
fle.
The house selected should face the south,
or south cast the windows upon that side,
large, running from, say a line even with
the top OF the door to within 10 inches Of
the ground as one of the greatest require
ments of fowls in winter, is "sunlight. s.
The greatest care should be taken to have
the building or room so thoroughly repaired
Gf necessary to repair iD that no draft or
snow can find its way among the fowls, as
they almost invariably become sicllly, and
troubled with cough, when exposed to the
wind, searching through crevces in the d-
lapidated barns to be found on our farms.
In case there should be no suitable shed
or outbuil1ing, which can be readily con-
ycrted into poultry house, it may be de-
sirablc to give 4 description of one which /
think will answer admirably for a limited
number Of fowls (from Is to 40. Let a
building 10 feet square be erected, nine feet
high, facing the south, running back to six
feet high as this warrants the roof having
pitch enough to shed water properly; be
careful in bulldog (as has been mentioned
betare) to leave no creyiccs upon sides or
ends, but take especial pains to secure ven
tillation upon the roof, as this is entirely
necessary to the health Of the flock
Arrange the nests in y row upon the bach;
Of the building say 8 feet from the ground,
ard in case fowls kept should be Asiauc
(Bramahs or Cochns) arrange = wall, for
them, as they win not be able TO fly into
the nests, and are liable to drop their eggs
around the yard,
The most suitable roests for large fowls,
should not be over eighteen inches from the
ground, q have them in my own houses but
10 inches,) as it is very often that we find
under the roost in the morning some poor
fowl who has dropped Off in her sleep and
either broken her neck or leg, when roosts
are plat ed from 10 to 20 feet high. \ very
convenient arrangement for the roost, is to
place Immediately under ii board say 12
inches vide, running the entire length,
about four inches below. This enables the
person having the care of the poultry to
pass into the house each morning with
small garden hoe and remove the droppngs
which have accumulated during the night
There is no other plan which can be adopted,
where the house can be kept entirely free
from filth, so easily as with the above style
of roost.
One more addition we would make TO
our Then house" that is to cut entrances
for the fowls, and have them arranged with
slide doors in such a manner that they can
be closed each night in winter with the least
possible trouble. | beg the readers of this
article to bear in mind one fact, which is
this. They should use the same care to furn-
ish warm clearly house for their poultry
which they exhibit IN making arrangements
their own comfort. COCHIN"
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