Proceedings of the Farmers'* Club. 513 



Poultet Raising. 



Mr. C. L. Merry, Norwalk, Ohio, asked many questions. He has 

 not bad experience in the care of fowls, but would like to devote two 

 acres of land to this stock. How shall lie inclose it, what houses 

 build (to accommodate one thousand head), what breed is best, etc. 



Mr. Harry Stewart — On two acres of land it would be folly to 

 attempt to keep one thousand fowls with the expectation that they 

 could be permitted to have any range. If closely penned up, one 

 thousand fowls might be kept on two acres by the exercise of the 

 utmost care and by an experienced keeper. But there would be no 

 accommodation for young chicks and the necessary coops to shelter 

 them. It is possible that four hundred hens could be kept on two 

 acres, but not any more. I have had some experience, and would 

 rather have at the rate of one acre to one hundred fowls than less; 

 but I have no doubt that I could succeed with four hundred on two 

 acres. The ground should be inclosed with a picket fence, and the 

 buildings placed on the north side and facing to the south. Tiie 

 height of the fence should be five feet for Brahmas and nine feet or 

 more for the more active fowls. I have found a roosting house 

 eighteen feet long, twelve feet wide, and eight high at the back and 

 twelve at front, with a single sloping roof and built of common boards, 

 not battened, but with the joints open, quite sufficient accommoda- 

 tion, and quite warm enough for two hundred fowls. Fresh air is of 

 vastly more importance than warmth. In a climate much colder 

 than that of New York, I have never had a fowl's comb frozen in 

 such a house as this on the coldest nights, when the temperature has 

 been below zero, and a strong wind blowing. Too much warmth 

 induces disease : catarrh, roup and dysentery are caused by impure 

 air and warmth, produced by huddling in a close apartment. Artifi- 

 cial warmth is better than sweating in this manner. A setting-house, 

 adjoining the roosting-house and of the same size, needs to be provided, 

 without windows, and with a shelf all round on which to place the 

 nests, raised two feet from the ground. Another shed, adjoining the 

 roosting-] louse at the other end, open in the front, should be provided 

 for shelter on stormy days and for the fowls to wallow in. Thus 

 these three apartments, adjoining each other in a line, are needed for 

 two hundred fowls, and by adding additional sets the colonies may 

 lie increased so long as there is room for them. I have found light 

 Brahmas the best on the whole. They are good layers, very gentle 

 and tame, and easily handled ; weigh seven or eight pounds when 

 mature, and are not able to get over a five-foot picket fence. They 

 [Inst.] 33 



