154 COMMERCIAL POULTRY RAISING 



opportunity they start afield, and how they revel in these morn- 

 ing hours, especially during the spring and summer months, be- 

 fore sun-up, while the dew hangs heavily on the foliage, and every- 

 thing seems fresh and full of life ! During warm weather particu- 

 larly, this wandering abroad in the early morning is the most bene- 

 ficial exercise a fowl can take. It not only provides exercise, but 

 if the flock is given sufficient range, the fowls will forage for a 

 considerable part of their keep, in the shape of greens and insect 



{Courtesy Million Egg Farm) 

 Fig. io8. — "In for the night." 



life. All things considered this early morning outing should be 

 encouraged wherever possible. 



Do Not Confine Chicks. — It is also true of young chickens. 

 The growth of a brood is often stunted by keeping it confined to 

 the sleeping quarters until the sun is high. Every minute in 

 which a brood is kept off the grass, when conditions are such that 

 it should be abroad, is detrimental to the flock's development and 

 to the keeper's pocketbook. Like grown fowls, chicks are astir at 

 daybreak, and from the moment it is light enough for them to 

 even grope about, they struggle to gain their liberty. 



