THE SEASONS AS AFFECTING POULTRY 



ling the ground with water. A patch of sunflowers 

 growing in the yard make good shade, and the 

 seed will ripen at a time when especially valuable 

 to feed to molting fowls. Shrubs or bushes in the 

 yards also make good shade, while vines may be 

 trained along the fences or on frames in the yards. 



Cleanliness always is a very important factor in 

 successful poultry culture, and needs special atten- 

 tion during hot weather. Not only the fixtures, but 

 also the houses and yards must be kept free from 

 filth and in a perfectly sanitary condition. The 

 droppings had best be removed each morning, as 

 they are smeary and make more foul odor in the 

 house during warm weather than at any other 

 time. The roosting quarters must be well venti- 

 lated ; fowls will thrive better and be more health- 

 ful in warm weather sleeping out in the open, on 

 trees or fences, than in a stuffy, ill-ventilated and 

 foul-smelling poultry house; therefore, keep the 

 doors and windows open as much as possible. 



In the yards, animal and vegetable matter will 

 decompose rapidly, and should not be allowed to 

 accumulate. Have a general clean-up of the prem- 

 ises once a week, and burn or deeply bury all the 

 decaying material; don't rake it up in a pile in a 

 corner of the yard and leave it to decay and rot, 

 a breeding place for disease and vermin. All old 

 litter, nesting material, etc., should also be burned 

 as soon as removed from the house or coops. Most 



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