GROWING POULTRY 283 



confining the birds does not suit either large operations or the most 

 advantageous use of land ; it may be necessary for young poultry 

 grown in towns, or even in the country when destructive animals 

 are especially bold or numerous, but in general it should be the 

 object of the poultry keeper to give, to his young poultry at any 

 rate, all the liberty that they need for the most economical man- 

 agement of the stock and the best development of the birds, and 

 this requires the extermination of wild creatures and the restraint 

 of individual domestic animals destructive to poultry. 1 A few of 

 these, if not checked, will make such inroads on the stock that the 

 immediate loss is heavy, and the effect on the plans of the grower 

 is likely to be far more serious. 



Protection from parasites. Freedom from lice and worms is also 

 of more importance with young poultry than with adults. Internal 

 parasites (worms) are best prevented by keeping the young birds on 

 fresh ground and away from the general adult flock. Healthy, vig- 

 orous young birds will keep down external parasites (lice), if they are 

 given an opportunity to do so. Young chickens, turkeys, etc. which 

 have access to loose earth in gardens or fields should need no treat- 

 ment for lice. It is a good plan to put hens with broods onto a dry 

 earth floor for the first few days, giving them an opportunity to sub- 

 due the parasites at the start. In continuous wet weather, when the 

 soil will not pulverize, or when chickens are cooped on sod, they 

 should be dusted with an insect powder about once a week until 

 three weeks old. After that, under conditions at all suitable, there 

 should be no occasion for the poultry keeper to consider giving 



1 The problem of the relation of the poultry keeper to neighbors who keep 

 dogs and cats which worry or destroy poultry is often a perplexing one. What- 

 ever may be his rights, expediency requires that the poultry keeper be governed 

 in some measure by near-by public opinion. It is in thickly settled places, es- 

 pecially in cities, that this becomes a hard problem. Sometimes the keeping of 

 poultry is an infringement on an ordinance which is overlooked by the authorities 

 so long as no occasion is given for complaint. In such cases there is nothing for 

 the poultryman to do but to securely inclose his young poultry. Where there is 

 no prohibition on poultry, the poultry keeper who confines his birds to his own 

 premises can insist that owners of cats and dogs which molest his poultry shall 

 pay damages and keep the animals off his premises. Even in towns where cats 

 and dogs are numerous, most of them are likely to be inoffensive, and if offenders 

 are known, a poultry keeper within his rights in keeping poultry, if he approaches 

 their owners tactfully, can usually have them restrained without arousing ill feeling 

 between neighbors. He should, however, be sure of his case. 



