Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-11
How to Provide Artificial Shade.


Shade can be furnished artificially in
different sections of the yard by using
branches of trees cut in full foliage; or
by driving three-foot stakes in the
ground and covering them with can
opy of burlap; or by erecting frames
made of wire netting or lath, covered
with hay or straw.
1t is not uncommon to have heat pros
trations during hot weather, especially
in the case of heavy fowls. the birds
suddenly dropping over insensible. The
cause is attributed to the heat making
pressure on the brain.
l might go through the entire list OF
poultry ailments and find where sun
shine acts as a tonic as well as a pre-
ventive of diseases. The lesson Is,
so erected that the sunshine can enter
at certain hours of the day to disinfect
the interior. drive out dampness and
destroy disease germs. The yards must
be only partially shaded. SO there will
be no dampness, but part of 1t must
be shaded SO that the stock may be
able to get to a cool place.
Shade Necessary During Melting.
Probably at no time is the hot sun
more dangerous to fowls than during
Noting season. Noting is natures
condition for exchanging the old. worm
out suit for fresh clean one. Quite
frequently individual birds will be al
most entirely nude, and when exposed
to the hot suns the skin not only
quickly reddens, but is apt to blister
and becomes sore. 1t is just as i'm
portant to shelter Noting fowls from
hot suns as it is to protect them from
cold storms
Growing chicks will not thrive if they
are not given the proper amount Of
shade in their runs. They must be
sun. poultry farm in New York has
adopted an excellent method for pro-
viding shade for the young birds. A
field of ten acres Is fenced off and
planted in corn. After the stalks are
about two feet high colonies of young
and there all over the field. are quar-
tered on this cornfield. They are not
only protected from the hot suns, but
are enabled in this range to gather
AS the chicks grow older the corn
stalks grow higher. 1t is the best pro-
vision for shade I have seen yet. and
as the corn is planted in hills. there is
still sufficient space left for the sun
to shine in and keep the ground from
becoming too damp for the chicks
Not only must there be partial shade
in the runs or range. but the houses
must be SO constructed that the air can
pass through and the roofs more or
less cooled by proper ventilat ton.
Shade Saves Summer Chicks.
Summer matches wi he robhei -
much of their risk when the growing
birds are provided with this needed
shade. Each year raise several hun
bred summer matched chicks In a grove
OF trees on the rear of my place, and I
make it pay me well. I have had Au-
gust-hatched pullets. raised in this
grove, begin laying in February, and
have had birds at maturity that in
size compared favorably with May
Matched birds.
Several years ago. while on a visit to
farm in Massachusetts. I was told
that all their Madison Square Garden
winners were July-hatched birds But
these birds had an ideal range-a large
grass plot with plenty Of trees and
bushes for shade. l was told that this
farm did most of it's Matching in sum
mer for the reason that the stock
needed less care and grew under more
natural conditions.