WHAT BACKYARDERS CAN DO 31 
The answer to this question is important. If you have a small 
house in a back-yard without a run you are keeping the fowls 
intensively. If you have a run, and allow the birds to go out in 
fine weather, you are keeping them semi-intensively, but whether 
you keep them shut up altogether or allow them a little liberty 
in favourable weather, the total area is so manifestly confined, 
that they had better be treated as birds kept on the intensive 
system, 
Now there are some breeds of birds that thrive quite well under 
these conditions, others that do moderately well, and again other 
breeds that are not at all adapted to the strictly intensive principle. 
Among the birds that flourish under close confinement may be 
mentioned the Leghorn, the Ancona, the Campine. These three 
are each and all small birds, and in a little space a small bird is 
a consideration. Not only are these different breeds small, but 
they are active, full of energy, and with immense reserves of 
vitality. They all belong to the hardy variety. For convenience 
they are classed as light breeds. They are also non-sitters ; 
they do not get broody. To get a fowl that is active by nature 
is an important matter. Part of the skill of the poultry-keeper 
is to devise means to keep his birds busy. A lazy fowl is a bad 
fowl. Nature has supplied the Leghorn, Ancona and Campine 
with surplus energy, with a restless and inquisitive nature, with 
a tendency to keep on the “ go”’ all the time. That is one reason 
why these three different breeds are all prolific layers. Except- 
ing a bird takes plenty of exercise and keeps itself fit, it is not 
likely to lay many eggs. Unfit, fat and lazy fowls are an abomina- 
tion. They are unproductive and are better dead. If your birds 
will not keep themselves busy, you must try to devise means to 
give them exercise. It is therefore obvious that if you buy birds 
that are by nature active, that cannot keep from moving about, 
that are fond of a scrap with their neighbours, you have already 
solved part of the problem. An active fowl is a happy fowl, and 
a happy fowl is a productive fowl. 
Whatever may be your predilection for other breeds do not 
give way to them if you are to keep your fowls intensively. There 
