, and to see the little birds issue from the eggs,
with the proud but careful mother strutting by them, and scratching and
toiling to obtain them food; and nothing is more touching to a sensitive
mind than to behold her at the least chill of air, or overcasting of the
clouds, calling her young brood under her wings for warmth, shelter, and
security. There are many lessons of good to be learned in fowl-keeping.

In proceeding to keep poultry, the young poultry-keeper should first
secure a proper place to keep them in. He ought to be able to build, if
not the whole, a great portion of his poultry-house, which need not be
on a very extensive plan; but there are a certain number of little
requisites belonging to it which ought not to be forgotten.

[Illustration]

NATURE AND SITUATION OF FOWL-HOUSE.

[Illustration: SIDE VIEW.]

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.

[Illustration: FRONT VIEW.]

+----------+-+-------------------------------------------------+
| |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 wh