GATES 



165 



burrow under it, nor does it allow the birds to work under it, as is 

 possible under a base ooard. 



Where small yards are necessary, it is sometimes better to 

 build complete wooden fences; on the exposed side of the yard 

 they may serve as windbreaks. Such a fence must be built very 

 high, as birds will more easily fly over a wooden fence than a wire 

 one. They can readily see the top and have a place to light upon. 

 Fences built of narrow slats or pickets are occasionally used, but 



FIG. 110. A common type of fence construction, a, Manner of anchoring wire under 

 ground; 6, wire buried a few inches under ground. 



the cost is usually prohibitive and the appearance is no better than 

 a well-built wire fence. 



Best Construction. One of the best and cheapest poultry 

 fences that it is possible to build is approximately seven feet high; 

 with cedar posts, twelve feet apart; with two strips of poultry 

 netting, the first strip of inch-mesh wire three feet wide set four 

 inches in the ground, and the second strip of two-inch mesh four 

 feet wide. In nailing the wire to the posts care should be taken 

 to have the selvage edges the same distance apart on each post. 

 If an attempt is made to stretch the wire wider than its natural 

 width, it is drawn out of shape and does not make a neat fence. 



Gates. When building the fences few gates should be planned, 

 since they are expensive to build, they materially increase the labor' 

 in caring for the birds, and require constant attention to keep them 

 in repair. Where double yarding is practiced or where the birds 



