NECESSITY OF CONFINEMENT. 39 



CHAPTER III. 



.Necessity and Advantages of Confinement Poultry-yard. 

 Substitute for it. Appurtenances. Feeding-hopper. Water- 

 tank. Gravel-boxes. Lime. Sand or Ashes. 



THE propriety of confining poultry within 

 an enclosure has been often questioned. In 

 some parts of Germany, large landed pro- 

 prietors are in the habit of allowing them to 

 run wild, and only feed them when the snow 

 is on the ground. Of course they become 

 quite wild, are smaller in size, the comb, 

 tufts, and tail feathers are less conspicuous, 

 and, in fact, they approach nearer to the 

 original stock. Their flesh, also, is said to 

 have a wild and game-like flavour. Of 

 course, under such circumstances, few or no 

 eggs are obtained, and gamekeepers are ne- 

 cessary to feed them, and to protect them 

 from the depredations of the smaller quad- 

 rupeds. 



When a few only are kept for ornament 

 about the grounds of a mansion-house, no 



