DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



clover and rye in the spring, ensuring a good green mat for the next i*eason's laying 

 stock. If provision is made for green feed, one may estimate on giving 10 to 30 

 square feet per bird in .confinement. 



If the stock is JUoused on the colony plan, the houses should be placed in rows 

 with doors facing on a centre road. In this way many steps are sared. 



All fences must be high enough to prevent the stock from flying over. A wire 

 fence gives best satisfaction. Heavy-weight varieties require a fence 4 to 5 feet 

 high. Light-weight varieties should have a 6-foot fence. If stock will not stay 

 within these fences, providing the care and feeding are correct, their wings should 

 be clipped or the runs covered. 



FLOOR-SPACE. 



In practice, it is found that small flocks need much more floor-space, propor- 

 tionately speaking, than large flocks. Within a house or pen 20 x 20 feet, 100 light- 

 weights or 75 heavy-weights may be housed quite comfortably with good results. 

 If a house or pen be 12 x 12 feet. 2o heavy-weights or 35 light-weights is the usual 

 rule. For hens of medium-sized breeds from 4 to G square feet should be allowed 

 when housed in flocks of twelve or more. For smaller flocks the amount of floor- 

 space should increase as the number decreases. 



SUITABLE QUARTERS FOR CITY BEGINNERS. 



Before any birds are secured it is necessary to provide suitable quarters tor 

 them. The house must be dry, well ventilated, free from draughts, sunny, and 

 bright. Any building possessing these few essentials will prove satisfactory to the 

 fowls. 



In addition to these, the beginners will do well to bear in mind the necessity 

 of economy in construction, and also plan the building with reference to its con- 

 venience. 



Start on a small scale. The first house should be small, and either portable or 

 constructed of inexpensive materials. Any one living on rented property should keep 

 in view the possible necessity of moving, and plan his poultry buildings accordingly. 



Some firms in or near Vancouver and Victoria make portable poultry-houses to 

 meet the requirements of poultry-keepers who would rather purchase a complete 

 house than build it at home. Some of these portable buildings are constructed in 

 units, and sections may be purchased as required. They are all alike, in that they 

 are furnished with complete equipment, are light in construction, quickly erected 

 or taken down, and easy of transport. In many cases they cost less than similar 

 structures built at home. 



PIANO-BOXES. 



Piano-boxes are freely used, especially when they can be purchased at a low 

 price. In most cities they can be secured at prices ranging from $1.50 to $3 each. 



A very practical small house can be made from two piano-boxes. Any one 

 handy with common tools can construct such a house at a low cost, for little 

 additional material will be required. 



The average piano-box is 5 feet hi^h. fi feet long, and 2^> feet wide. As con- 

 structed. this two-box house has approximately 40 square feet of floor surface, which 

 is doubled if the structure is set up on posts 4 to 6 feet above the ground to permit 

 the birds to run underneath the floor. This is an excellent scheme in the warmer 

 parts of the Province, enabling one to keep a larger number of fowls, oi^give a small 

 flock much more space, but should never be practised in the mountainous sections. 



In building, proceed as follows: Have two boxes of the same size. Remove the 

 boards from the back and top of each box. working carefully to avoid splitting. 

 Set the boxes back to back 3 feet apart on three pieces of 2- x 4-iuch material, and 

 nail them in place. Nail boards on the 2 x 4's sufficient to fill the space between 

 the boxes, to complete the floor. Then secure two boards 8 or 10 inches wide, and 

 long enough to reach from shoulder to shoulder of the boxes. Mark the centre of 



