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The next building we will explore is the henhouse.

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Scale model of the farm.
1920
Alliston, Ontario

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Let us now proceed to the henhouse. This photograph of the scale model shows clearly its location on the property. The henhouse is the long building in the front of the picture.

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The henhouse, East end.
1995
5116 Sir Frederick Banting Road, New Tecumseth, Ontario

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Marie (Banting) Shields relates an amusing incident involving one of the roosters:

"There was an old rooster that used to chase me when I was quite small. And Dad used to laugh and laugh. Building the house there were some lathes left over, and they were up in the woodshed. Dad said, 'Just take one of these and carry it with you, and so the rooster won't chase you.' And, he says, 'whack him on the head if he does.' I whacked him on the head so many times, I knocked him out. I don't think that was what my dad meant."

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Henhouse, South side.
1995
5116 Sir Frederick Banting Road, New Tecumseth, Ontario

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Robert Thompson Banting, grandson of Thompson and Lena, recalls that, when the children visited the farm: "Grandma would give each of us duties, and we would take turns gathering the eggs and bring them back, wash and place them in the cold room accessible from the back entrance."

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Scale model of the henhouse.
1920
Alliston, Ontario

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The model illustrates more closely how the henhouse would have looked in its prime.

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Scale model of henhouse interior.
1920
Alliston, Ontario

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Sir Frederick Banting was never a great student. One year, Fred received a tongue lashing from his teacher for not being able to answer a question. Fred decided he was going to quit school, so he packed up and went home. When he got home, he told his mother that he was quitting school. Mrs. Banting was very upset and wanted him to return.

His father, William Banting, came into the house, heard the story, and said that that was fine, that he needed some help on the farm doing chores. He pointed out that it was a shame that, by quitting school, Fred could never amount to more than a labourer. But, his dad asserted, good honest work is all right. So after lunch, he sent Fred out to clean the chicken coop.

This is the most unpleasant job on a farm. It is worse than shovelling cow manure, since chicken manure burns the eyes and hurts the lungs. Not another word was said, but the next day Fred went back to school. To drive the lesson home, William Banting thereafter gave Fred the job of cleaning the hen houses every Saturday morning.

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We're nearly finished exploring the farm buildings....