Il8 OVERCROWDING 



one of the worst habits affecting a flock of fowls. 

 It is also one of the causes for roup, diarrhea, and 

 cholera, and when one of these diseases makes its 

 appearance conditions are favorable for a rapid 

 spreading of the disease, transmitting it to every 

 specimen in the flock. 



The danger of falling a victim to this mistake does 

 not lie in the first year's operation of the poultry 

 plant, but the second and third year usually open the 

 temptations to the inexperienced to exceed the ca- 

 pacity limit. By that time his ambitions have grown, 

 his little flock has done well, poultry keeping in the 

 small way has proven profitable. Why not make 

 four times the profit he is now making? The deci- 

 sion is made to keep just four times as many fowls 

 on the same size lot, and in many cases the same 

 sized houses. The inevitable results are contaminated 

 runs and stuffy, foul aired houses, breeding the 

 germs of disease and weakening the strain of birds. 

 Thus instead of increasing the profits they are com- 

 pletely wiped out, leaving a deficit on the account 

 books. 



In many cases overstocking the capacity of the 

 plant is caused by the inability of the amateur to 

 properly cull his flock, or possibly lack of judgment 

 in disposing of the surplus in the season when the 

 demand is the best. The one who has paid fancy 

 prices for his starting stock or eggs for hatching 

 naturally expects, and has a perfect right to expect, 



