io6 



OUR DOMESTIC BIRDS 



that the small chickens may have fresh land not too far from 



the farmhouse; land seeded to grass the year before is best. 

 The chickens are fed the same dough as is given to the 



hens, but are fed oftener. They have a second meal of dough 



about noon, and their grain 

 supply, which is given in small 

 troughs, is replenished fre- 

 quently. While the hens are 

 with the chickens the food 

 is placed where the hen con- 

 fined to the coop can get her 

 share. After the hens are 

 taken away, the dough is 

 thrown on the grass as the 



FIG. 106. Coop for hen and chicks, used cart passes up and down the 



on Rhode Island farm rQWS Qf CQOps> 



When the hay has been harvested and the corn has grown 

 tall, a part of the young chickens may be removed from the land 

 where they were started, and the coops placed where they can 

 forage on mowing lands, in cornfields, and wherever they can 

 go without damage to a grow- 

 ing crop. As they become too 

 crowded in the small coops, 

 the cockerels are sold and, if 

 there are still too many birds 

 in a coop, a few pullets are 

 taken from each of the over- 

 crowded coops and new colo- 

 nies are started, so far from 



their old associates that they FlG - I0 7- Colony house for growing 



will not find their way back. chicks ' at Macdonald Colle s e - ( phot - 



graph from the college) 



An the early fall as many 



of the oldest hens are sold as is necessary to vacate the houses 

 needed for the pullets reared that season. Then the houses are 



