SYSTEMS OF POULTRY KEEPING 91 



becomes polluted by the excrement of the fowls and sometimes in- 

 fected with disease germs, the stock deteriorates, and the poultryman 

 cannot stand the stress and strain of working against natural laws. 

 Combining advantages of the two systems. While general 

 practice on farms, as well as on town lots and on poultry plants, 

 has tended too much toward intensive conditions, the marked and 

 almost immediately apparent disadvantage of such conditions for 

 breeding stock and growing stock forced a measure of departure 

 from them, especially in the care of the growing stock to be used 

 for laying and breeding purposes. It was usual, even when the 

 intensive plant was at the height of its popularity, to give breeding 



Fig. 96. Colony houses at one side of grain field at Iowa Agricultural College 

 (Photograph from the college) 



Stock more room than the laying stock, either by colonizing or by 

 reducing the number in the compartments allotted to them (thus 

 giving more room in both house and yard), and to give range to 

 the young stock, — although, too often, the range was so overstocked 

 that the actual advantage of doing so was very slight. Sometimes, 

 the birds being nominally on range, too much was assumed as 

 to the advantages which they secured in being at liberty, and the 

 variety of foods which, under suitable conditions, the range would 

 have furnished was not provided. In the majority of cases the most 

 serious obstacle to the adoption of extensive methods was the lack 

 of land and the difficulty of securing adjoining or convenient land 

 for the rearing of young stock. 



Leaving out of consideration the cost of equipment and labor, if 



