A three-yard system has been used in connection with single 

 colony houses, with one yard located on each side, as well as one at 

 the end. Only two yards are used at once while a crop is being started 

 on the third. One yard is sown to wheat or rye in the fall, and an- 

 other to oats as early as possible in the spring, while the chickens 

 occupy the third, but are let in to forage on the wheat shortly before 

 feeding time each night to prevent waste by trampling. When the 

 oats are nicely started the poultry is given access to it and the wheat 

 as well, while the third lot is being seeded to oats. Buckwheat is 

 used later on for green food. 



The portable house on runners, which can be moved from one 

 place to another, greatly relieves the necessity for yarding young 

 chicks. Such places as the farm lane, orchard or corn field may be 

 utilized, furnishing fresh soil, sunlight and shade, and an abundance 

 of insect and other food conducive to healthy conditions and rapid 

 growth. 



Yard gates should be made large enough to permit the passage of 

 all .equipment, even such as portable houses. This matter is fre- 

 quently overlooked, resulting in additional labor and .expense. 



From the farmer's standpoint, yardage is desirable at all times. 

 In the early spring, during the cold, wet, muddy weather the chickens 

 ought to be enclosed, and they should not be permitted to run with 

 the young during the brooding period, as the latter will not thrive 

 as well if compelled to pick their living with mature fowls. As a 

 rule the farm poultry yards remain unchanged and uncultivated year 

 after year, providing an opportunity for the development and per- 

 petuation of disease. 



FORAGE CROPS. 



Both the farmer and the commercial poultry man should plan to 

 grow green crops for forage, though the need of special crops is not 

 so great in the former case. This is a cheap method of furnishing a 

 great abundance of succulent food as the chickens help themselves, 

 thus eliminating the expense of harvesting, etc. Wheat or rye can 

 be sown in the fall, oats or barley in the early spring, followed by 

 oats and rape, succeeded later by rape and buckwheat. While per- 

 manent sod runs of grass are not desirable, alfalfa is an exception, 

 being satisfactory because of its rapidity of growth and the high 

 quality of food it furnishes. 



SHADE. 



Protection from the summer sun in and about the yards is very 

 essential to the health and comfort of the flocks. Many different 

 kinds of shade trees may be used, but fruit trees can be made to pro- 

 vide protection and produce revenue. Plum trees grow more rapidly 

 than apples or pears, and all furnish suitable shade, but should not 

 be planted so thickly as to produce dampness. For temporary shade 

 sunflowers and corn are unexcelled. 



