FIRST LESSONS IN POULTRY KEEPING. 129 



LESSON XVI. 



Poultry Fences and Yards. 



THESE two subjects we have to consider together. The height, and to some extent 

 the kind of fence required depends upon the size of the yard even more than upon 

 the powers of flight of the fowls to be restrained. When fowls are confined to 

 small yards the height of the fences must be adapted to flying capacity, for the fowls 

 so closely restricted in movements will do their best to break bounds. When yards are large 

 the fowls may be restrained with very low fences. I have had fowls that would quickly fly a 

 six foot fence when in a small enclosure so surrounded never even attempt to go over the 

 three foot fence of a larger yard, and I have seen Leghorns in a large yard where, on the 

 side toward the road was a stone wall one could easily step over, that I was told never 

 went over the wall a statement which I could credit because of what I saw of the fowls 

 in their yard, and did not see of evidencesof their having been outside. This, however, we 

 must regard as an exceptional case, and I would not advise anyone to trust to a low stone 

 wall to keep any active fowls out of places in which there was something to tempt them, 

 and where they might do some damage. 



The low fence to be effective must be one which offers no inducement to the fowls 

 to try their powers of flight. A fence of pickets or laths presents a top line on which the 

 fowl can secure a footing. A wire fence of any of the styles in common use offers no such 

 resting place if the stakes or posts are small or pointed at the top. This is one point 

 in favor of wire netting. Other points are cheapness, durability, ease and quickness of 

 construction, and adaptation to temporary fencing. This last feature of wire fencing is one 

 that is only beginning to be appreciated. It is most conspicuous when low fences are used, 

 though the high temporary fence may be made with but little more trouble. 



The Simplest Fence. 



Except for gate posts at the few places where there are gates, and for the fence of the 

 fly of the house built for pigeons, I have no set posts for my poultry fences. All fences 

 are on stakes driven into the ground.. When the ground is soft we drive the stake right 

 into it; where hard or stony we first make a hole with an iron bar. It Is not necessary, as 

 when using lumber, to have posts equally distant. I generally drive stakes four paces 

 apart, but if at the point marked for a stake I find a stone the bar will not displace,, 

 move a few inches or a foot if necessary, either way. Except at end posts or gates the 

 wire for temporary fences is fastened to the posts with only two staples, one next the ground 

 and the other at the top of the wire. These staples are not driven in tight, only enough to 

 hold the wire, leaving a quarter of an inch or more of the staples to give a good hold to draw 

 it out by. For wider fencing proportionately more staples should be used, as the additional 

 weight of wire increases the strain on those near the top. With wire three feet wide and less, 

 the strain on the staples is very light. 



