The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-12-30
T'HE PRESS.
TUESDAY MORNING, DECEMBER so.
AGRICULTURAL
Comfort FOR Paul,rr.

A rule for success with poultry, and which
covers nearly everything relating to them
necessary TO success is to make them COM
Portable. No one suggestion combines so
much, andshence, in sense, 1t may be
termed glittering generality; but it is vio-
lation of some rule of comfort which attends
nearly every case of want of success. In
winter they are uncomfortable from too
much cold; in summer from too much heat;
in mid spring, fall, or winter weather from
TOO much dampness; and at all seasons it
may be by too much feed, or too little, or by
filth, vermin, confinement, want of variety
OF food, or neglect in some form. Probab-
ly every case of failure, if carefully studied
out, can be traced to some neglect of this
sort.
Every person raising poultry should have,
as an essential to success, a poultry house,
where fowls can be hal bored in summer and
winter, apart from other buildings, aud
apart from all other farm animals. They
need treatment which they cannot have
with other stock; and besides, their habits,
which are never clearly make them unfit
companions for farm livestock. They take
on yermin more readily than any other crea-
f0re about the farm; and when forced to
roost in sheds or stables, they are pretty GER
tain TO be agents for giving lice to cattle and
horses, and in this way impairing their
health and usefulness. In house of their
own properly constructed, this evil can not
only be kept from the cattle aud horses, but
also from the fowls themselves. The nests
and Matching can also DE provided for, and
protection against excessive cold, heat, and
1ampuess. Fowls are easily affected by
these extremes; and as they never or rarely
lay or thrive except in high health and COM
fort, properly constructed hen house is of
The first Importance. Even if fowls are sto
be neglected, if given house by themselves
their neglect will not be harmful to other
interests. A hennery for an ordinary farm
need not be large, nor expensive in the mat
Ter of show, but il needs more caretnl con-
Struction than any other outbuilding on the
premises. The points of importance are
first, to secure the fowls against sudden
changes OF temperature, and secondly, con-
venience in attending to their wants. There
should be double or treble walls, with air
spaces between, and this no matter whether
built of stone, brick, or wood, or part of
each. The roof should also be made double
or treble, with provision also for ventilation
IN hot weather. Stone is a good material
for walls, when air spaces are provided SO as
to avoid dampness; and on thousands of
farms all the stone necessary can be
gathered In few hours.
Every hen house should also have a cellar
under it, with cemented bottom partly for
protection against rats and mice, but also to
afford better care, and as a convenience in
many ways. The careful farmer will find
cellar OF so much use, after having one,
that he will wonder how he ever did with
out it. Ooe prominent use is as a Matching
room for setting hens, or for an artificial In
cubator, If one is used and another, as re-
sort for fowls in the extreme weather of
summer. At such time they appreciate a
cool retreat as much as human beings do;
and it is of little use to expect them to lay
eggs or grow rapidly when they are suffer-
ing. A cellar or basement with stove in it
In winter and register in the floor, will give
the fowls that moderate amount of heat
which will afford comfort in the coolest
weather, and yet not make them effeminate,
or as hot-house plants.
What profit is to be expected from fowls
in winter, when forced to roost in buildings
or sheds where they freeze their combs and
feet, or in some cases drop dead to the floor
or earth? And yet winter eggs are the only
ones produced at handsome profit. Com
Portable quarters, with liberal and judicious
feeding, would be reasonably certain to fur
nish an abundance of eggs for market in any
winter; but at present how many farmers
get enough to pay expenses? In spring they
are abundant and low; but not many at
tempt to keep up sort of spring tempera-
ture for their fowls in winter. The few try
1t. and find it profitable to they. Why
should not others adopt the plan? No farm
investment, in proportion to the outlay, is
ever likely 10 bring greater percentage of
profit than fowls well kept all the year
Iound.-Farm 81 Nation.