Nature And Situation Of Fowl-house

Source: The Book Of Sports
Category: KEEPING POULTRY.



The situation of a fowl-house should be such as to afford sun and warmth
in winter and spring, and shade in summer. It should be well covered in
at the top, free from damp, have good ventilation and light, with
windows of lattice-work, with boards behind to open and shut. It should
be placed against a wall with a slanting roof. The side should contain
one latticed window (A); the front, also, a latticed window (B), with a
hatch-door, partly latticed and partly boarded at the side. A little
door for the fowls should communicate with a fowl-yard, as seen below.



+----------+-+-------------------------------------------------+
4
+-+ +---+

+-----------+
+-+ +------+ +------------+
H 1 6 2 3
+-+ +------+ +------------+
+-----------+

+-+ +---+
5
+----------+-+-------------------------------------------------+

The above is a sketch of the ground-plan of the house and fowl-yard. H
is the fowl house. No. 1 is a small pit filled with dry sand and ashes,
in which the fowls may roll to free themselves from vermin. No. 2 is
another small trench or pit, containing horse-dung and rubbish of
various kinds, to be frequently renewed, in which they may amuse
themselves in scraping for corn and worms. No. 3 is a square of turf, on
which they may pasture and amuse themselves. Two or three trees ought to
be planted in the middle of the run, and these might be cherry or
mulberry trees, as they are very fond of the fruit. Nos. 4 & 5 are two
little stone tanks for water, and No. 6 is a pond for the ducks, in case
it should be thought advisable to keep such, which I should strongly
recommend to be done.

Within the fowl-house there must be perches put up for the fowls to
roost on. These should be placed one above another at the corner, and so
disposed, that one range of birds does not sit quite under the other,
for reasons which need not be explained. At the bottom of the
fowl-house, but not under the perches, should be placed the nest boxes,
from four to six, as may be required, in which straw should be placed
for the hens to make their nests with. The fowl-house and everything
about it should be kept scrupulously clean, and be frequently
white-washed; and it is good, occasionally, to fumigate the house by
burning herbs, and juniper and cedar woods.


Next: The Various Breeds Of Fowls

Previous: Keeping Poultry

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