288 POULTRY CULTURE 



the poorer birds in it, putting the surplus from several lots into 

 new quarters. 



Disturbances should be avoided. With all their docility, poultry 

 of all kinds are very sensitive to alarms, to rough treatment, and 

 to change. These things affect the growth of young poultry just 

 as much as they do the laying and breeding qualities of adults. It 

 is especially desirable to avoid frequent separations and new com- 

 binations of groups of young birds, with all the confusion incident 

 to such changes. While it is preferable that a brood or lot of young 

 poultry of any kind keep practically the same quarters and range 

 throughout the growing period, that is often impossible. In any 

 case the poultry keeper should try to avoid unnecessary shifts. 

 Where the numbers are adapted to the land available it should be 

 possible to arrange to leave young poultry undisturbed, except for 

 removals as mentioned above, from the time when they are weaned 

 until they go to the fattening coop or into winter quarters, accord- 

 ing to the use to be made of them. 



