PART VIII. POULTRY KEEPING* 



Trespassing Hens. 



My neighbors across a line and across a highway object to my hens 

 trespassing on their property. What is the legal solution of the difficulty? 

 Must I do all the fencing? If I choose to do nothing, whal legal redress 

 have they? 



You have no right to pasture your poultry on other people's 

 property. It may be a benefit to them and they may allow it, but, if 

 they have objected, you are notified to take care of your stock and 

 you have no redress if they should take the shotgun. In the larger 

 animals the aggrieved person has to catch and impound the stock, 

 according to the laws of procedure, but we imagine no laws require 

 an aggrieved owner to catch trespassing hens. If you do nothing you 

 will probably have some dead birds thrown over your fence, and you 

 might also be sued for damages. 



Marking Hens and Chicks. 



/ have two strains of Plymouth Rocks, and I wish to keep the hens 

 from one strain and the roosters from the other. How can I keep them 

 apart? Is there any system of tagging which I can use to put on the 

 little chicks until the time comes to segregate them? 



The best way is to buy a Pettit poultry punch, price 25 cents, 

 at any poultry supply house. Punch a hole in the web of the foot 

 of each chick; one in web of right foot, and the other in the left foot. 

 This is better than bands, for the chick's leg outgrows the band. 

 Keep an eye on the holes and keep dirt out; for sometimes they 

 close up. You can mark at least five generations of chicks with that 

 25-cent punch. For instance, the first batch would not be punched at 

 all, the second bunch on the inside of the left foot, the third bunch 

 on the inside of the right foot and so on. If bands are used, first 

 put on a small band which will be large enough for three or four 

 weeks. After they have outgrown this size a larger should be put 

 on which will not have to be again replaced unless lost. 



Chicks Die in the Shell. 



My eggs are nearly all fertile, but the chicks die in the shell. I find 

 when using the eggs that the shell will peel away from the inner skin 

 because of the toughness of the latter. 



"Answers in Part VIII are chiefly by Mrs. Susan Swaysgood, author of "California 

 Poultry Practice" {published at $1.00, postpaid, by Pacific Rural Press) and by George 

 H. Croley, President Federated Poultry Association of California. 



