296 HOME LIFE IN FLORIDA. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



THE POULTRY -YARD. 



The possession of poultry necessitates a place to keep 

 them in, unless indeed one chooses to allow them the run 

 of the flower-beds and the house, and if so, then good-bye 

 to neatness, beauty, and the refinements that should make 

 the surroundings of a true home — farewell to flowers, and 

 to all loAV-hanging fruits ; for, wdiile they agree only too 

 well W'ith chickens, the latter do not agree with them, to 

 judge by results, for they " wage w^ar to the death" upon 

 them. And so we hold that no refined and sensible per- 

 son will voluntarily allow poultry the free run of the house 

 inclosure ; let them have their own premises, it wdll be bet- 

 ter, far better, for both parties. 



Let us look first into the best plan for a permanent poul- 

 try-yard and house, and afterward we will examine that 

 other matter of portable fences and poultry-houses, which 

 is attracting a good deal of attention in the ' * chicken- 

 hearted w^orld" just now. 



Where merely a home supply of flesh and eggs is desired, 

 with the opportunity for a small surj)lusage for sale, one 

 yard only is needed ; for in this case all the adult chickens 

 may be allow^ed to roam together. 



For a flock of fifty to sixty, a space of about one hun- 

 dred feet square W'ill be enough, though it is ahvays best 

 to have the poultry-yard as roomy as possible, unless the 

 truck garden, house inclosure, and all forbidden grounds 

 are closely fenced ; in this case, the poultry-yard may be 

 dispensed with entirely, since the chickens and their kin- 

 dred may be allowed to roam in the open w^ithout risk of 

 damage to vegetation. 



