The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1918-05-10
TOWN HENS MAKE
FOOD FROM WASTE
Need for Increasing City FIocks
Explained by Department
of Agriculture.
SMALL YARDS AFFORD ROOM
Cheap Eggs for City Family May Be
Obtained by Feeding Hens Waste
From kitchen-Male Bird
Is Not Necessary.

Poultry and eggs have never been
cheap food for the city dweller. There
is no hope that they can be, during
the continuance of the war and its
necessarily attendant high prices, even
rs relatively cheap as they ordinarily
have been. The only possibility of
cheap eggs for the city family lies in
keeping enough hens in the back yard.
where they can be supported princi-
pally on kitchen waste, to supply the
family table. Keeping hens in the
back yard is at once an economic OPP
portunity for city families and an es-
sential part of the campaign for In
creasing poultry production.
What may be done with fowls in Il
back yard depends upon the size of
the yard, the character of the soil, the
conditions of sunlight, shade and ven
tilation, and the interest and skill of
the poultry keeper. The smallest and
least favorably situated back yard nf-
fords an opportunity to keep at least
enough hens to supply eggs for the
household. The number of hens need
ed for that purpose is twice the num-
UcE VI peISonS ~ NC suPIilCd. iANiANS
the smallest flock to be considered con-
sists of four hens. Where hens are
kept only to furnish eggs for the table
no male bird Is needed.
Suitable Coop for Small Flock.
A coop for flock of four hens
should have floor area of about 20
square feet, or about feet per hen.
For larger flocks the space allowance
per bird may be little less because
the space is used in common and each
bird has the use Of all the coop ex-
cept what her companions actually oc-
cupy. For the ordinary flock Of 10 to
Is hens the space allowance should be
about four square feet per hen.
With proper care the backyard
poultry keeper can keep hens, for lay
ing only, combining them continuously
to their coops, and have them lay well
nearly as long as they would be profit.
able layers under natural conditions.
While hens like freedom, good feed
and care reconcile them to confine-
ment, and mature. rugged birds often
lay more eggs in close confinement
than when at liberty.
II the space admits Of giving the
little backyard flock more room than
q coop of the minimum size required,
the condition Of the land will deter
mine the form in which the additional
space should be given. II the soil Is
well drained and free from such filth
as often communicates the soil of small
back yards, yard for the fowls may
be fenced in, allowing 20 to 80 square
feet Of yard room per bird. The op-
portunity for exercise on the land and
In the open air which this gives the
hens will benefit them, and make life
for them more interesting.
II the soil is poorly drained and foul.
the hens will thrive and lay better If
not allowed on 1t at all. In that case.
the best way to give them some bene-
at of the extra space available is to
build adjoining the coop shed cover
ing about the same amount of ground,
and having the front inclosed only
with wire netting. The foul earth I'M
der this shed should be removed and
the floor filed in few inches higher
than the old surface with fresh earth
or sand.
Attention to Cleanliness.
By proper attention to cleanliness
this may be kept in sanitary condition
for q year or more. Whatever advan-
tage can be given the hens in this way
will tend to increase production, and