Winnie was considered chief “henwife” at the Parsonage.

She could not give as much time to the poultry as she wished, and had to delegate many of her duties to Beatrice, or Nellie, the maid,

nevertheless held herself responsible for the welfare of her feathered flock.

On Saturdays, she delighted to array herself in an overall pinafore and carry out improvements in the hen-yard.

Armed with hammer, nails, and pieces of wire netting,

she would turn old packing cases into chicken coops and nesting boxes,

or make neat contrivances for separating various fussy matrons with rival broods of chicks.

Winnie was really wonderfully handy and clever, and albeit her carpentry was naturally of a rather rough-and-ready description,

it served the purpose for which she designed it, and saved calling in the services of the village joiner,

an economy which her father much appreciated.

Winnie was determined to run her poultry systematically.