The Cairo bulletin., 1909-07-19
POSSIBLE HOUSING FOR CHICKS.
Dry Goods Boxes Can Easily be Made
Into Comfortable Quarters.

In most yards where chickens are
reared 1t is an important question as
to how and where the young stock
are to be located. They will do we'll
for some time in the coops after their
mothers have forsaken them, and If
they have been Matched artificially
the chickens can be accommodated in
Breeders for some weeks. But where
a good number OF chicks are Matched,
both the coops and the brooders are
often required for other broods, 50 it
1t necessary to find fresh quarters or
the earlier youngsters. II the chickens
are turned into some clubhouse that
has no perches and the floor covered
with straw or dry leaves they will
crowd together in corner. Provided
the young birds are nearly all of the
same size, this answers very we'll. says
il writer in Successful Poultry Keep
ing, But If big and little chickens
are put together, the smaller ones are
apt to get smothered. If perches are
provided in the house 1t is necessary
that they should be at least two inches
wide; otherwise crooked breast bones
may be too frequent With chickens
of large, heavy breeds, and there are
Il few varieties in which size Is not
desired, it is usually the custom not
&c allow perches, as crooked breast
bones in poultry intended for table or
for exhibition are a great blemish.
If there are no perches care should
be taken that the size of the chickens
kept together does not vary to any
great extent, and then there will not
be much risk of death from suffoca-
ton. If the young birds can be housed
in small lots, they will grow and
thrive better than when great lot is
crowded together. Movable houses
are now made so cheaply, and are so
convenient, that they should certainly
be made use Of for chickens. They can
be obtained in many different sizes.
practice adopted by some breeders
Is to obtain large boxes or tea chests,
to remove the lids aud stand them
on their sides. These boxes are placed
in the fields under the shelter of the
hedges, and are often removed, In
places where small wooden homes are
made for use With handles at each
side for carrying and open rallied bot
toms to hold a dozen or so of chickens
and are constantly shifted with great
benefit to the birds. They grow at a
great pace with the frequent change
Of surroundings and do good to the
ground. These houses are put togeth-
ed with match boarding, a common
sized house being six feet long by
three feet wide and three high.
If there are strawberries or trees
near the poultry yards the chickens
when they are fledged will often take
to roost in the branches. In warm
weather this agrees with the birds bet
ser than sleeping in a house. Rain
and wind make no difference to them
aud they mature quickly and grow up
hardy and robust, rarely suffering
Ifrom the roup and other ailments SO
frequently TO be seen among fowls III
close, ill-ventilated buildings. When
large, well-grown birds are desired, the
coCkerels should be separated from
the pullets as soon as the combs of
the former are sprung, All palpably
faulty chickens should be got rid of
rs quickly as possible and none Of
these should be retained as future
stock birds.