Poultry Scratching.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 434, 4 January 1890, Page 5

Poultry Scratching.

Earthen Floors for Fowl-houses. — The fowl-house floor should always be of earth, if this be possible. Boards or planks in many cases are in use ; and where the tvvo-stcry fowl-house is adopted, of course the upper floor is necessarily boarded. But if the bottom of the poultry-house is of loam, which can be often raked over and cleaned, or spaded up occasionally, wo have found this much the best. Fowls do better if they are constantly running upon the ground. Old birds, kept upon board floors continually, are very commonly troubled with dry, cracked feet and scaly shanks since, however constant may be the scattering of fresh earth upon these wooden floors, it'very quickly dries to powder, and helps to dry and render scurfy the limbs of the old fowls. Be sure and leave the surface of the earth in the interior of the building a foot or two higher than it is outside; in other words, build on an artificial knoll. Why Eggs were Dear.— The Galveston Wew-f, always truly reliable, says that Jay Gould and his party, while looking over the Texas railroads, stopped at a farmhouse to get some eggs. The genial farmer asked §SO a dozen for his hen fruit, whereat the great financier was somewhat astonished, and remarked that eggs must be scarce thereabouts. “Thero are plenty of eggs here,” was the reply, “ but fellows like you, that can afford to pay such prices, are scarce. That’s why eggs are worth §SO a dozen on this joyous occasion.” Range for Fowls.— lt is indisputable that the move ample the range chat fowls are permitted to run about in, at their leisure,'-the healthier, the thriftier and happier they are. : A close, pent-up fowlyard is not the place in which to grow fine birds as a rule, though very many persons are obliged to keep their choice small flocks thus stinted as to space; and, with the special- care such owners are pleased to give their pets, they do passably well. But to rear chickens on the larger scale -we mast afford them room to run and grow in. They should in either case, in hot weather, be : provided also with plenty of shade, to which they will resort during the heat of the day very eagerly. If there are no trees, shrubs, or vines around this place that will afford this Shelter from the‘heat a rough lean-to or low open shed, boarded tight at the side facing the south and west, will be a good protection from the burning sun’s rays, and prove a grateful spot for them during the hooted term," " > ! ;