54 Profitable Poultry Keeping. 



Where runs are at all restricted, and must be kept within 

 certain limits, then it is necessary to know how much ground is 

 absolutely required to keep grass fresh. Under such conditions 

 it will be needful to give half an acre to every fifty fowls of the 

 lighter kinds, but rather more than this will be required for the 

 heavier breeds. But where houses are built in sets, such as is 

 shown in Fig. 3, which is a capital range of houses made by 

 Bolton and Paul, Norwich, Eng., we prefer the plan given 

 by us in a former chapter, namely, to give gravel runs to the 

 houses, and have a large field into which the birds can go in 

 turns during the day. They in this way thrive just as well as 

 if on grass always, and the latter is preserved and kept in good 

 order. Nothing appears worse to us than to see grass eaten 

 and trodden down, as then it does no good to the fowls, and 

 is much worse than gravel, which is clean at any rate, and 

 does not lead the attendant to suppose that the birds have 

 all the green food they require. Grass is only beneficial 

 when fresh and clean, and hence the importance of what we 

 have said. 



When fencing is necessary, the best material is wire- 

 netting, which can be bought very cheaply, especially if in 

 large quantities, and if it is galvanized it lasts a long time. 

 That with a two inch mesh is fine enough, and it is as well 

 to get it good and strong, as it will be found least costly in 

 the end. Where something more showy is required, there is 

 a wire fencing made in sections of -three feet wide, and six 

 feet high, fitted to iron standards in the ground, by means of 

 small bolts. These are made in straight lattice work, and 

 generally have ornamental tops, so that they are pleasing in 

 appearance. Another admirable fence is one easily made 

 to order by any woven-wire works, like Figure 4, the bottom 

 half of which is made of galvanized iron, and the upper 

 half of wire, thus forming a complete division between runs, 

 and being at the same time a first-rate shelter against sun, 



