FOUL GROUND AND OVERCROWDING.

Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette, 1 October 1913, Page 7

FOUL GROUND AND OVERCROWDING.

It is, I think, ao< «xagg«ration t* say tlsat half tb« ••mplaimi* from whicb: fowls Buffer are traceable to impure or tainted grrsund. When fowls are confined continually t» one plot of ground tha danger of ©ontaminating the soil is largely overcome by something' being1 grown on the run. But when the run is laid down* in grass it is absolutely accessary that it should be regularly and frequently mown, otherwise the rain does aot carry the manure into the soil, but lets it remain in a poisonous state among the long coarse grass. Of all methods that have been adopted »y tha poultry-keeper whose spas* is restricted, there is none so sound in practice as the division of the run. The advice to reduce the number of fowls is rarely adopted, as the temptation to keep a larger number than the amauut of ground will carry is too great for many poultry-keepers to resist. A division of the space, therefere, is strongly recommended, each section being used alternately. This does far to overcome th« danger of ov«r-

crowding.

Fowls may have a«r«sof land over which they can roam the whole day long; but they may not feel inclined to wander about if they are always liberally fed on the s»m« spot, which soon becomes terribly foul.

There is only one way of dealing with the effects of foul ground. Give the fowk strong doses of Epsom salts and remove them to fresh grass. The ground from which they have been removed which is probably devoid of grass, should have a strong dressing! of Hme and be allowed to lie idle for some time before it is worked.

As to the number of fowls which may be kept in a ran of a given sise without incurring the risk of disease from tainted soil no hard-and-fast rule can be laid down without knowledge of the circumstances. Contrary to the general impression for runs in grass something like ton times more land is required than if the runs are in gravel or tightly rolled cinders, as these «an be frequently renewed. Attire nonsitting l>r«#d« like Leghorns require but half the amount of apace per bird that i» Heeded for the Cochin or Brahma. As a rule the space for the small laying varieties, if they ar» to be permanently settled, should not be less than three square yards) of gravel run, and thirty squar* yards should the plot be of grass. To try to» crowd the spae© any more than this is t* run the risk ©f unhealthy birds.