28 Diseases of Poultry 



foul ground, as the growth absorbs the manure ; it is when 

 the grass becomes worn away that the chief danger arises. 

 The manure constantly falling upon the same small area, 

 and there being nothing to use it up, the land is bound in a 

 short space of time to become so permeated as to be thor- 

 oughly unfit for fowls. The question is very often asked in 

 connection with this subject as to how many fowls a certain 

 sized piece of land will accommodate the wdiole year through. 

 Occasionally one may see in some of the agricultural or poul- 

 try journals this question answered, but as a matter of fact 

 to give any stated number is most misleading. It depends 

 very largely upon the class of soil, as some can carry twice 

 as many birds as others ; it depends upon the breed of 

 poultry, some being much more active than others, and thus 

 requiring more space ; it depends, too, upon the time of 

 year, because during the spring and summer, when there is 

 an abundance of vegetable grow^th in the soil, a considerably 

 larger number of birds can be maintained than during the 

 autumn or winter. The number must be varied according 

 to these circumstances, and no hard and fast rule is appli- 

 cable." 



"The results of tainted ground are generally quickly 

 noticeable, as the fowls have a sickly appearance, the 

 feathers lose their brilliant luster, and the wings begin to 

 droop. Roup, gapes, and other ailments speedily show them- 

 selves, causing, if not death itself, considerable loss and un- 

 pleasantness. One of the greatest advantages to be derived 

 from portable houses is that they so greatly reduce the risk 

 of tainted ground, as they are being constantly moved from 

 one place to another, thus evenly distributing the manure. 

 When it is remembered that each adult fowl drops nearly a 

 hundredweight of manure in the course of a year, the im- 

 portance of this question will be immediately realized. It is 

 quite possible, however, provided that suitable precautions 



