The Poultry Run.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 600, 18 January 1921, Page 2

The Poultry Run.

A PROFITABLE COMBINATION. Tliero is no more profitable cam> bination- than that relating to poul-try-keeping in conjunction with gardening, and it is surprising that more garden plots, both in town and country, have not their small j iniltryhouses and runs. Only those who have possessed themselves of a few fowls havo realised how profitable and beneficial the hirds are when kept in tha area of the garden. Tho enormous amount of waste produce from tho thousands of small gardens, which more often than not goes to tha rubbish heap, might easily bo put to » more profitable use by keeping poultry to consumo it. As insect destroyers they are unbeatable, and tho manure they produced was found to be all that one could wish as a fertiliser of the land. Economising Space. Many people who havo 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 -vnolo area of land is run over by fowls it will soon becomo fouled to a dangerous extent, whilst, on the other hand, ii the whole area is put under cultivation the pleasure and profit derived from the keeping of poultry will bo lost, to say nothing of tho extra cxpmso entailed in the provision of fertilisers for the soil. To overcome tho #fficttltr the following plan might r ell bo adopted. Lett the plot of land io divided, as shown in tho accompanying

diagram. A piece of ground" COft. x 40ft. is di-s ided, and each plot is use:! for six months at a time by the fouls, to be -alternated 1 y a quick-growing crop of vegetables. By this means the ground will bo kept in a sanitary condition for tho fowls, and the lattrr will fertilise the soil, and rid it ef iuj;irioua insects, and so render it c-apablj cil producing satisfactory crops. In the diagram will bo socn tin ground p'.-.r, of a house and scratching s!ied, the arrows pointing to where the fowl entrances may bo located, v.hilst the short dotted linos indicate nhcro the attendant's gates may be hung. Reducing the Focd Bill.

Fowls will, if tl;ry liavo the opportunity, consume an enoniiotis amount of vegetable matter. Most fowls get far too little of this essentia! 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 the pnuitiy-yard than all the other ailments combined. In its wild state a fowl lives entirely on vegetable and insect food-, p.ml tho disease, tuberculosis, from which so many domesticated fowls sulTer docs not attack ii. There is far too much dry vegetable- matter fed to poultry,

generally in tl'.e »cy of graius and meals. Fresh, juicy vegetables and insect life are the things to keep fowls healthy and prolific. Many, owing to circumstances, are compelled to feed their fowls largely on grain:; and meals, grass Icing out of the question", and garden stuff difficult to obtain cheaply; but it is in the reach of all who have a plot of land to keep a few fowls under tho most healthful and orolitabifi conditions if the plan referred to above is adopted.

Other Advantages. The- other advantage,? to bo derived from poultry-keeping on the lines indicated above aro as follows:—The fowls may be bred from with the expectation of getting strongly fertilised eggs and rearablo chickens. When fchfl weather is fine and the land dry, the grain food can 1,. Sightly dug into the soil, and the fowls will scratch till the last grain is unearthed. This exerIcise will ensure a hard, muscular condition in the birds, and the breeding | results will bo satisfactory. In addition to providing green food for the fowls the household will to some extent be supplied. Let those -who have a plot of land devoted exclusively to vegetable culture secure a few fowls of * good laying strain, and keep theia on the suggested lines, and they will soon learn that poultry-keeping in conjunction with vegetable culture is, as I have s bated, both an enjojahln S*nd profitable pursuit.

Don't crowd the chickens.; Tobacco dust is sure death to lie*. Feeding- poultry is a science. Good housing is essential to jood birds. There should be plenty of fresh air, but no draughts in poultry houses.