14 



3 inches long and 20 inches high in front and 30 inches in the 

 rear, and has a partition in the middle. Each section holds 

 one bag of grain or mash which allows the grainman to empty 

 the feed, thus avoiding unnecessary handling by the owner. 

 The slanting cover prevents the birds from roosting on it, 

 which is conducive to cleanliness. For cheaper construction, 

 a suitable dry goods box may often be obtained, but the cover 

 should be made to fit securely enough to keep out rats and 

 mice, and constructed with a slanting top if possible. 



Yard and Fence. 

 It is much more humane and sanitary to have a small yard 

 for a back yard flock, and most people with extensive observa- 

 tion along this line feel that birds do better than if kept housed, 

 and their general health is improved by sunshine, fresh air and 

 exercise out of doors. It is possible to keep hens, if excep- 

 tionally good stock, confined to the house throughout the year, 

 but we do not advise doing so. The size of the poultry yard 

 will depend upon the size of the back yard plot, nature of soil 

 and amount of space needed for the garden. A place 8 or 10 

 feet wide and 15 to 20 feet long will answer. A 5-foot fence 

 made of 2-inch mesh wire will do for practically all breeds. 

 Leghorns will fly over a 6-foot fence when kept in close con- 

 finement, but by clipping the flight feathers from one wing 

 they will not "go over the top." Posts 4 by 4 inches, and 

 braces 2 by 4 inches, with a gate similar to the one shown in 

 the cut facing page 7, make a neat, durable fence. It saves fenc- 

 ing to have the poultry house in a corner of the yard, but it is 

 more desirable to have the rear fence two or three feet from the 

 house so that the hens can get on the north side of it during hot 

 days in summer and on the south side in winter. Berry bushes 

 and grapevines can be placed along the fence just outside of the 

 yard. Some of the roots from these bushes make their way 

 under the fence and thus, underlying the poultry yard, get all 

 the nitrogenous fertilizer they need, but not an excess. Splendid 

 crops can be obtained each year without much additional fer- 

 tilizer, except a slight amount of phosphoric acid and some 

 potash. The hens will reach through the fence as far as they 

 can and help keep down the weeds and grass. 



