24 AN EGG FA KM. 



12 ft. long, and covered at top and sides, but open, of 

 course, at the ends. The houses and runways being 

 located on a fertile hayfield, an abundance of insects 

 will breed in the tall grass or clover or alfalfa, and will 

 be captured in the runway. 



When the fowls have access to all parts of a hayfield 

 or pasture, they devour the larvae of the insects, or the 

 young when so small that they do not amount to much 

 as food. But under the runway plan, large numbers 

 remain undisturbed till, full grown and fattened, they 

 enter the trap. In some cases, tons of grasshoppers 

 appear in hayfields where fowls cannot be allowed to 

 run, because, in addition to other objections, the grass 



FIG. 2. COOP FOR GKOWIXG CHICKS. 



would be badly trampled by them and nests would be 

 hidden. An occasional runway, as above described, 

 penetrating the ranks of the grass like a tunnel, will 

 receive, from time to time, traveling hoppers and jump- 

 ers in sufficient numbers to keep the birds on the alert, 

 thus affording them exercise and lessening the feed bills 

 very materially. The birds can pick what green food 

 they need through the meshes. As remarked, the har- 

 vest of insects is specially valuable for only about two 

 months in the year, and, as the houses are on runners, 

 and the runways are constructed in sections, the whole 

 outfit may be moved to any location desired, to stand dur- 



