Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 199, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 August 1918 — INJURY DONE BY FORAGING FOWLS [ARTICLE]

INJURY DONE BY FORAGING FOWLS

Local Laws Determine Question of Fencing Garden or Confining Chickens SHOULD GO HAND-IN-HAND Agricultural Department Urges the .Practice of the Principle of Cooperation and the Theory of Live-and-Let-Llve. The redress of the home gardener Against the inroads of the neighbor’s chickens will depend on the laws of the state or ordinances of the town or city in which the gardener lives, in some states owners are liable for damage done by stock running at large; In other states the person who wishes to grow a crop must fence it against depredation. In most of the Eastern states owners of stock are required to keep it under fence.

Response to Queries. These facts are set forth by the United States department of agriculture in response to queries by gardeners who have neighbors raising chickens that harvest the products of Liberty gardens before such products are mature. The department is not prepared to say which type of food-rais-ing is the more profitable and praiseworthy, but says that both can go hand-in-hand if there are proper fences. Whether the poultryman or the gardener must provide the fence depends upon local statutes, or ordinances, and the rights of the case would be determined under general principles of law. It is related that a Liberty gardener and a Victory poultryman lived side by side. One morning the poultryman saw the gardener industriously digging.. “What are you doing?” asked Egbert “Replanting some early peas,” replied Corn-elius. “But that looks like my brown leghorn lying beside that hole.” “It is,” said the gardener; “my first planting of early peas is Inside of her.” Not Humorous Subject The legal authorities of the department say that the chicken-and-garden question, far from being a subject of humor, is undoubtedly a serious one, and has probably led to as much trouble,* dispute and ill-feeling between neighbors as any other single cause. The department believes, however, that in war time there will be more of a principle of co-operation, and a theory of live-and-let-live. With everyone interested in a maximum wartime food production some way can usually be found out of the difficulties that may arise through the proximity of chickens and gardens.

Overcoming Objections.

Objection is frequently raised to the keeping of poultry in towns and cities because of the odor which may result and also because of the noise which is made by roosters crowing, particularly in the early morning. There is no necessity for the poultry flock to become a nuisance to neighbors. If the dropping boards are cleaned daily and the houses and yards are kept in a reasonably clean condition there will be no annoying odors. The soil in the yard should be stirred or spaded up frequently if not in sod in order to keep it in the best condition. This will not only tend to keep down any odors which might arise, but also allow the droppings to be absorbed into the soil more readily and therefore keep the yard in bet ter condition for the bens. ' - "The male bird need not be a nuisance. Unless it is intended to hatch chickens from the flock it is; unnecessary to keep a male bird. The fact that there is no male in the flock will have absolutely no effect on the number of eggs laid by the hens. The male bird should be sold or eaten Just as scon as the hatching season is over.

This is desirable not only for the purpose of eliminating noise, but also to save the feed that woqld be eaten by the male and for the reason that the eggs produced after the male Is disposed of will be infertile. Since these eggs are incapable of chick development they keep much better than fertile eggs, and consequently are superior for preserving or for market.

Poultry Yards and Fences. Breeding stock, and especially growing chickens, should have an abundance of range, while hens kept solely for the production of eggs may be kept on a small area with good results. In rural districts the yarding of poultry Is sometimes unnecessary and in such cases colony houses are used to advantage. Under this system it Is easy keep the birds healthy and the feed bill is reduced, as they are able to get a good part of their feed from the range. These houses, which hold about 10 hens, are placed from 200- to 250 feet apart and are moved from place to place as new range is needed. When poultry fences are needed, as is the case in keeping poultry in towns and cities and in some rural sections, as few fences as possible should be erected, as they increase the cost of equipment, labor and maintenance. When very much land is available the poultry yard can often be kept in sod. On good soil this can be done by allowing 200 to-250 square feet of land per bird (217 to 274 birds to the acre) while more space Is necessary on poor or light land. A large number of fowls are usually kept to the acre where double yards are used and the land is frequently cultivated. - Plymouth Rocks and the heavy meat breeds in small yards require fences, five to six feet high, while a fence six to seven feet high Is necessary for Leghorns. The upper two feet of the fence for the latter may be inclined inward at an angle es 30 degrees, or a strand or two of barbed wire may help keep them confined, while it is sometimes necessary to clip the wing feathers of one wing of those birds which persist in getting out.

Posts may be set or driven into the ground. They should be set eight to ten feet apart with common poultry netting, or 16 to 20 feet with woven wire. Corner posts should be about eight inches in diameter, and be set four feet in the ground, while intervening posts may be four or five inches in diameter and set three feet in the ground. That part of the post which is set in the ground may be charred or treated with some wood preservative to advantage, while corner posts should be firmly braced or set in cement

Rural Clubs Help.

Women's rural clubs have done much to further the employment of trained workers for the counties, such as home demonstration agents, county nurses and county social service workers. The state leader of home demonstration agents in Mississippi has said that the women's clubs in that state have been constant and earnest supporters of county extension work in home economics.. They have given financial aid, used their influence to secure appropriations, bought canning club and given the work a prominent place on their programs. Fifty hens in a space better adapt*! to 25 will be no economy.