The Poultry Run.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 716, 28 October 1914, Page 6

The Poultry Run.

A PROFITABLE COM DIN ATI ON. Thcro is no moro profitablo combination than that relating to poul-try-keeping in conjunction with gardening, and it is surprising that movegarden plots, both in town and country, have not their small [ oultryhouses and runs. Only those who have possessed themselves of a few fowls have realised how profitable and beneficial the birds are when kept in tho area of the garden. The enormous amount of wasto produce from tho thousands of small gardens, which more often than not goes to tha rubbish heap, might easily be put to a profitable use by keeping poultry to consume it. As insect destroyers they are unbeatable, and tho manuro they produced was found to be all that one could wish as a fertiliser of the laud. Economising Space. Many people who have a liking for both, gardening and poultry, but v,ho possess only a small plot of ground, aro often at a. loss to decide which hobby to take up. If tho -jvnolc area of land is run over by fowls it will Boon bocome fouled to a dangerous oxSent, whilst, on tho other hanJ, it tho whole area is put under cultivation tho pleasuro and profit derived from tha keeping of poultry will bo lost, to say nothing of tho extra oxpnise entailed in (the provision of fertilisers for tho soil. To overcomo tho difficulty tho following plan might ? ell ho adopted. Lest tho plot of land b» divided, as shown in tho accompanying

diagram. A pieco of ground GOft. t 40ft. is divided, and each plot is used for six months at a time by the fowls, to be alternated by a quick-growing crop of vegetables. By this means the ground will bo kept in a sanitary condition for the fowls, and tho latter will fertilise the soil, and rid it of injurious insects, and so render it capable of producing satisfactory crops. In tho diagram will be seen tho ground plan of a house and scratching fched, tho arrows pointing to where tho fowl entrances may bo located, whilst tho short dotted lines indicate where the attendant's gates may bo hung. Reducing tho Food Bill. Fowls will, if they have tho opportunity, consumo an enormous amount of vegetable matter. Most fowls get far too little of this essentia.l to health and egg production. Lack of vegetable food is at the bottom of more liver and other troubles than is generally imagined, and liver ailments account for more losses in tho poultry-yard than all tho other ailments combined. In its wild state a fowl lives entirely on vegetable and insect foods, and tho disease, tuberculosis, from which so many domesticated fowls suffer does not attack it. There is far too muchi dry vegetable matter fed to poultry, generally in the way of grains and meals. Fresh, juicy vegetables and insect life are tho things to keep fowls healthy and prolific. Many, owing to circumstances, aro compelled to feed their fowls largely on grains and meals, grass being out of tho question, and garden stuff difficult to obtain cheaply; but it is in the reach of all who havo a plot of land to keep a few fowls under the most healthful and profitable conditions if the plan referred to above is adopted. Other Advantages. The othor advantages to bo derived from poultry-keeping on tho lines indicated abovo are as follows:—Tho fowls may ho bred from with the expectation' of getting strongly fertilised eggs and rearable chickens. When the weather is fine and the land dry, tho grain food can bo lightly dug into the toil, and the fowls will scratch till tho last grain is unearthed. Tins exercise will ensure a hard, muscular condition in the birds, and the breeding results will bo satisfactory. In addition to providing green food for tho fowls the household will to some extent be flupplied. Let those who havo a plot of land devoted exclusively to vegetable culture secure a few fowls of a good laying strain, and keep them on the suggested lines, and they will soon loarn that poultry-keeping m conjunction with vegetable culture is, as I have stated, both an enjoyable and profitable pursuit. ( Don't crowd the chickens.Tobacco dust is sure death' to lice. Feeding- poultry is a science Good housing is essential to goo 3 birds. There should be plenty of fresh air, hut no draughts in poultry houses.