El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-04-04

| tiers. and which affords protection
I against rats and other vermin in ad-
dition 70 facilities for closing the
( house at night is satisfactory. The
! Oldfa shioned A-shaped coop. with q
Z wooden floor and Slated sides. IS q
: pioneering model which is common
! place among most farm poultry equip
ment- The box type Of coop, shown in
the above Illustration. has also stood
the test OF time, and Is to be found
on farms the country over. In all
these coOps Il Is essential TO provide
facilities so the chicks can leave and
enter as they desire In some in
stances a small sheltered yard IS used
as a supplement 10 the coop proper.
SO that the hen may turn about and
get little exercise The fence
around this yard should be high
enough 50 that the chicks can run in
and out but low enough so as TO cut
off exit for the hen By using coop
OF this description the chicks can
find shelter and warmth under the
hen at any time. while the weak
lings. after a few days. may develop
into strong. healthy birds.
Make Coop Of Cheap Material.
The detention coop for the hen
may be made OF waste lumber or dry
goods boxes. It should provide plenty
Of ventilation and should be built
over a removable floor which should
COOP so as 20 keep IL tight and dry
This floor facilitates the efficient and
easy cleaning Of the coop. The prac-
teal coop which is presented in the
accompanying picture has a door
covered with one-half inch wire net
ting which slides IN back Of the slat-
ted front when IL is desired to close
the coop. while it is pushed back Of
the closed part Of the front when
the coop IS opened Holes IN both
ends OF the coop. which are also COW
cred with wire, supply additional ven
tilation- The middle Stat in the door
Is readily removable. sliding into
square wire staple at the top and
dropping into a half joint at the bot
tom The Stats are made Of strips
one-nalf inch square For ventila-
ton purposes, except when the
weather IS cold or during cold nights,
the long, narrow door at the front OF
the coop is kept open This coop is
30 Inches long. 261z inches high at
the front, and 1s inches at the rear.
The floor is removable. and in every
respect this coop, which is a little
more elaborate, perhaps. than the hen
shelters many farmers now use. is
practical for the confinement OF the
hens until the chicks are old enough
to 80 to distant parts Of the range
under the chaperonage OF their
mother.
Farm Grains Good Fowl Feed.
Wheat IS generally considered the
safest grain 10 be fed alone. It is
not quite so fattening as corn, still
ls too fattenlng when fed alone. This
grain should be supplemented by
some meat feed or skinned milk 10
increase the proportion OF protein.
Wheat contains more protein than
corn about the same amount OF car
hOhydrates. but less fat. and on the
whole is considered not so valuable
Tor fattening, but better for growth.
wheat screenings, II they are OF a
good grade. can frequently be pur-
chased and fed 70 advantage. OF
course. there is always the danger Of
Introducing weed seed on the farm.
Burnt wheat can seldom be fed adj
Vantageouslys the difference in price
between this and good wheat being
usually too slight 70 warrant one In
feeding Il
Oats are often fed for variety. but
are not well liked unless hulIed, the
huls being tough and rather indigest-
lble. Huled oats, on the other haRd,
are reiished by poultry and are eE-
cellent Tor producing eggs When
they can be obtained at q reasonable
price in comparison with other grains
they may be fed quite largely.
Barley does not seem 20 be greatly
relished by hens. but may be used to
give variety to the erain ration. 1t
mas little more protein tlan corn
and a little less than oats
Buckwheat is quite well liked by
fowls. but IS not very widely fed Il
may be fed to vary the ration Buck
wheat middlings are rich in protein
and make a good mixture with corn
meal
Rye IS not fed largely. and does
not seem 10 be much reiished by poul-
Try. 1t Is supposed 20 cause bowel
trouble when fed freely.
Feed Chicks Frequently.
When the chicks are a few days