PLYMOUTH ROCK STANDARD AND BREED BOOK 409 



CHAPTER VI. 



THE HEALTH OF THE BREEDING FLOCK 

 IN CONFINEMENT. 



Breeding fowls that are kept in houses or houses and small 

 yards have less opportunity to keep in vigorous health than 

 breeding stock which is allowed free range when the weather 

 permits, or has the run of extensive yards. As we have before 

 mentioned, the only way to secure and maintain health and 

 vigor in a breeding flock is to provide as nearly as possible 

 the things the flock would secure if it were running wild in 

 the natural breeding season. 



Healthy Stock. In the first place, the stock must be 

 healthy to start with. It is a waste of time and money to 

 attempt to breed health and strength into a flock in confine- 

 ment. With healthy stock to start with and proper surround- 

 ings, proper care and proper feed, then health may be main- 

 tained to a satisfactory degree ; but unless surroundings, feed 

 and care are what they should be, the fowls will weaken sooner 

 or later, and succeeding generations will have less and less 

 vigor as time goes on. 



The House. A healthful house is of the first importance 

 and a house which furnishes the requirements for health is 

 likewise a comfortable house, and a comfortable house is the 

 most profitable house to use. A sufficient amount of ventila- 

 tion to keep the air reasonably pure, protection from drafts 

 and severe cold, provision for plenty of sunlight in every part 

 of the house, at least during part of the day, are the prin- 

 cipal requirements. Under such conditions fowls that are 

 properly fed and cared for will maintain their vitality. 



Feeding. Good feeding is another requisite and good feed- 

 ing must include sufficient variety of the right kinds of food, 

 comprising whole and cracked grains, ground grains, meat 

 food, green food, grit, charcoal and oyster shells. The grain 

 must be fed in deep litter to encourage exercise, for without 

 exercise no fowls remain healthy. Feeding at regular hours 

 helps to keep the diges live organs of the fowls in good condi- 

 tion and hens that have good digestion are likely to have 

 good health, at least, so far as anything affected by food is 

 concerned. 



