POULTRY RUNS. 15 



attention be given to this matter, a covered shed ten 01 

 twelve feet long by six feet wide may, as already hinted, be 

 made to suffice for half a dozen fowls without any open run 

 at all. By employing a layer of dry earth as a deodoriser, 

 which was turned over every day and renewed once a week, 

 the National Poultry Company kept for several years such 

 a family in each pen of their large establishment at Bromley. 

 These pens did not exceed the size mentioned, and chicken- 

 rearing failed ; but the adult fowls were in the highest 

 health and condition ; and the company managed, with 

 birds thus confined, to take many prizes at first-class shows. 

 Poultry-keeping is, therefore, within the reach of all. The 

 great thing is purity, which must be secured, either by 

 space, or, in default of that, by care. Hardy fowls will 

 sometimes thrive in spite of draughts, exposure, and scanty 

 food ; but the strongest birds speedily succumb to bad 

 management in this particular, which is perhaps the most 

 frequent cause of failure. 



When the run is on such a limited scale, dry earth is 

 decidedly the best deodoriser. It is, however, seldom at the 

 command of those who have little space to spare, and sifted 

 ashes two inches deep, spread over the floor of the whole 

 shed, will answer very well. The ashes should be raked 

 every other morning, using a rake with steel wire teeth 

 three-eighths of an inch apart, and renewed at least every 

 fortnight, or oftener if possible ; or peat-moss may be 

 used, as already described. Of course, the number of fowls 

 must be limited : they should not exceed five or six, and, 

 unless a second shed of the same size can be allowed, the 

 rearing of chickens should not be attempted. 



But an open run as well is far better, and the larger the 

 better. The birds will be more active, and more hardy. 

 And if space can be had for a grass-run, that will be best 

 of all, for grass is of high food value, if not contaminated 



