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From the Personal 
 
 Reference Library of 
 
 PAUL IVES 
 
 Date of Publication. 
 
 There is no evidence in this book as to 
 its date of publioation^the author^ 
 however xefev to'Blairs Heawife'as a term 
 of reference and the first edition of the 
 Henwife was published in 186l* 
 
 ALBERT R. MANN 
 LIBRARY 
 
 New York State Colleges 
 
 OF 
 
 Agriculture and Home Economics 
 
 AT 
 
 Cornell University 
 
 THE GIFT OF 
 
 Paul Pomeroy Ives 2d 
 
 in memory of 
 
 Paul Pomeroy Ives 
 
 O.AJEent^ 
 
The original of tliis book is in 
 tine Cornell University Library. 
 
 There are no known copyright restrictions in 
 the United States on the use of the text. 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924002995987 
 
TURK ELY 
 
THE 
 
 POULTEY-KEEPEE'S MANUAL: 
 
 CONTAINING 
 
 DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL KINDS OF 
 
 DOMESTIC POULTRY, . 
 
 WITH 
 
 INSTRUCTIONS FOR THEIR MANAGEMENT, 
 
 AND 
 
 THEIR TREATMENT WHEN DISEASED. 
 
 BY CONTRIBUTORS TO "THE JOURNAL OF ' HORTICULTURE 
 AND POULTRY CHRONICLE." 
 
 WITH TWENTY-TWO COLOURED ENGRAVINGS, 
 
 AND NUMEBOUS WOODCUTS. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 JOURNAL 01' HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER OFFICE, 
 
 171, inXiBET STEIDEJO:. 
 
E 7?0J?- 
 
 LONDON : 
 
 PBOTED AT TH£ JOUBNAI. OF HOItTICUI.TnitE OFFICE, 
 
 171, FLEET STBEET. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 BUT few introductory words are needed. Numerous 
 inquiries for an easily consulted work on Poultry, 
 having coloured portraits of the varieties, showed that 
 such a publication was needed. This, combined with 
 the abundance of communications in our possession 
 from most of the best authprities on Poultry-keeping, 
 induced us to prepare the present volume. Its con- 
 tents, therefore, commend it to all who require such a 
 book for reference. The Editors had no other labour 
 than that of selection and arrangement. 
 
 X 
 
THE 
 
 POULTRY-KEEPERS' MANUAL. 
 
 SELECTION OF STOCK. 
 
 WE will suppose that the inquirer wishes to have the 
 best possible supply of chickens and eggs at the least 
 possible cost, and we will further suppose that the 
 inquirer has a small plot of ground. 
 
 Persons thus circumstanced will require a continuous 
 supply of both eggs and poultry throughout the year, 
 and not, as too often happens, to find themselves with 
 abundance one month, and scarcity the next. Taking 
 the number of the family from ten to twelve, servants 
 and children included — and eggs are often good economy 
 elsewhere than at your own table — from twelve to 
 fifteen hens should give a constant supply throughout 
 the year ; and if, in the winter months, there is too 
 heavy a run on that branch of the products of the 
 poultry-house, the eggs that in summer have been 
 stored will provide what may be required for pastry 
 and similar purposes. But, at the risk of the penalties 
 of digression, let us here suggest the prohibition of 
 eggs to the cook when employed on a rice pudding ; their 
 
 B 
 
2 SELECTION OP STOCK. 
 
 presence renders it too hard and dry, while their absence 
 leaves it, if the work of a competent artiste, exactly of 
 that consistency that finds favour with most palates. 
 
 Now, of those twelve to fifteen hens above mentioned, 
 one-half should be DorJcings, the remainder Cochin- 
 Chinas. In this selection we have regard to the incu- 
 bation no less than the mere production of eggs. 
 During summer both varieties will contribute jointly 
 to the egg-basket; and when, later in the year, the 
 Dorkings fall off, the Cochin-Chinas will be at hand, 
 and fully justify their great merits as winter-layers. 
 Early in the spring the Dorkings only should be 
 employed as mothers, remaining, as they do, so much 
 longer with their chickens ; but from April the Cochin- 
 Chinas may safely be entrusted with the responsibilities 
 of maternity. The older hens of both varieties will 
 be at their worst time as egg-producers during autumn 
 and their moulting-season. Early-hatched pidlets, 
 therefore, especially of Cochin-Chinas, must then be 
 ready to take their place ; and thus, with a little fore- 
 thought and anticipation of what may be necessary, 
 the eggs need never be wanting. 
 
 But persons situated as we have supposed, require 
 good chickens no less than fresh eggs: this leads to 
 the consideration of what male birds should be the 
 companions of the before-mentioned hens. 
 
 In such establishments we have no reason to expect 
 enclosed yards for separate birds, such arrangements 
 carrying us to another section of poultry-keepers — 
 those who regard their fowls as special pets and 
 favourites, with a view to exhibition. 
 
SELECTION OP STOCK. 3 
 
 We reckon, however, on a good, airy, clean poultry- 
 house, and the run of a meadow, with a careful pro- 
 Tision of fresh water. 
 
 The hens heing of two separate breeds, the cocks — 
 for we would have two — should belong to one or other 
 of those breeds, and to Dorkings must the preference 
 be given, or those who trust to our advice may not be 
 so fully satisfied with the chickens that appear on 
 their dining-tables. 
 
 A heavier weight of poultry may be raised within a 
 given time, and on a certain quantity of food, from 
 Cochin-Chinas, than from fowls of any other breed. 
 In " quality " they may be exceeded by others, especi- 
 ally by Game and Dorkings ; but a young Cochin- 
 China — (for a cockerel of that race destined for the 
 kitchen should never live beyond five, nor a pullet 
 beyond six, months) — is of fair average quality as 
 compared with nine-tenths of the fowls procurable at 
 country markets. The fault, indeed, is in the fact that 
 they produce meat on inferior parts ; thus the breast 
 is too often deficient, while the leg is unusually de- 
 veloped; the latter, however, is by no means so apt 
 to prove tough as in other fowls. The limit above 
 referred to must, however, be kept in view, or our 
 advocacy falls to the ground. 
 
 If their owner may wish to breed pure chickens 
 only, the eggs of the Dorkings may be taken for the 
 purposes of hatching, the difference of colour proving 
 a sure means of distinction. If, again, on the other 
 hand, it may be desired to test the merits of the 
 half-bred race, there is great encouragement in the 
 
4 SELECTION OF STOCK. 
 
 large-sized useful fowls that have been lately exhibited 
 as the produce of a similar union. Hitherto the 
 members of the different families of fowls, of pure 
 descent and unstained lineage, have appeared to us as 
 best calculated for the several purposes of poultry- 
 keepers ; but these experiments on crossing the different 
 races, even if they fail to guide us to any improved 
 composite race, may still serve to confirm the merits 
 of the several distinct varieties. 
 
 It will be necessary to provide every year pullets 
 equal to one-third of the whole number of hens, to 
 supply casualties and replace those that are become 
 too aged for early laying. The Dorkings may be reared 
 supposing that every second year a cock of fresh blood 
 is introduced ; and ■ an annual purchase of a nest of 
 Cochin-China eggs would supply the requisite number 
 of those birds. 
 
 Wherever a meadow with a small pond or brook is 
 at hand, a Gander, with two or three G-eese, will rarely 
 fail of giving a good return for their cost, because the 
 first fortnight little care is required for the goslings, 
 and the old birds are not only singularly free from 
 maladies of all kinds, but provide by far the greatest 
 portion of their own food. A Goose, too, is a piece de 
 rSsistance on the dinner-table highly appreciated, and 
 which fairly discharges its duty in the reduction of the 
 butcher's bill. By the time the corn is carried the 
 flock may be turned into the stubble, which is most 
 diligently gleaned by them, and whence, without further 
 care, many may be selected in fit condition for the 
 usual Michaelmas sacrifice. For birds to be killed 
 
SELECTION OP STOCK. 5 
 
 later in the year a well-ventilated outhouse or large 
 pigsty, with plenty of clean water, oats, and barley- 
 meal, will become requisite ; but even this greater out- 
 lay is well compensated under judicious management. 
 The choice of breeding stock, dictated by our own 
 experience, would fall on a Toulouse Gander and large, 
 dark-coloured Geese of the common breed. From 
 such parents cross-bred birds will usually attain 
 greater weight than either of the breeds separately, 
 although to be rejected themselves as breeding stock ; 
 and the objection to the Toulouse race, on account of 
 their being indifferent sitters and mothers, is thereby 
 obviated. If white plumage is desired the Bmbden 
 Goose should be taken ; but we are at a loss for any 
 point of recommendation in the China species that 
 would place it above these for general purposes. 
 
 Bucks, we believe, are usually kept with less profit 
 than Geese, being much more dependant on their 
 owners for their food, and the comparative cost of pro- 
 duction is, therefore, in excess of the latter birds. But 
 where steamed food is daily prepared for the pigs and 
 cattle, a portion of this, mixed with bran and barley- 
 meal, gives the best chance of seeing the outlay on 
 these birds returned to us after their disposal; but 
 where such facilities are wanting, and the run is at all 
 confined, their voracious appetites, not to be satisfied 
 with grass, like Geese, leave little if any room for 
 profit on their expenses. But a well-fed early duck- 
 ling is undeniably deserving of its great popularity, 
 and, from their rapid growth and ready sale early in 
 the year, are worth attention where good markets are 
 
6 SELECTION OF STOCK. 
 
 at hand to tate off our surplus stock. For the supply 
 of our own table, also, in the special cases for which 
 our adTice is now tendered, we may be content if the 
 expenses are met by the value of the bird when 
 slaughtered, for rarely in the country, at least, can we 
 purchase them as good as we can ourselves feed them. 
 The Duck is a bird that should never be stinted in 
 food ; and from the time of its exit from its shell till 
 the morning that dawns on its execution its rations 
 should be both regular and liberal. An exception to 
 our remarks may be made in such districts as around 
 Aylesbury and elsewhere, where Ducks are reared for 
 the high prices of the London and other chief markets. 
 If we are asked what breed is likely to prove the most 
 profit-producing, our opinion may be stated very de- 
 cidedly, for we feel satisfied that the Rouen birds are 
 not merely the best layers, and equally hardy with the 
 other varieties, but are ajso the best flavoured; in 
 point of size, also, these need fear no comparison with 
 any other, the coarse Musk Duck alone excepted. 
 
 Turheys must come next. On light, dry soils we may 
 make them pay, but where this condition is wanting 
 they will be found unprofitable stock. They require, 
 also, a separate feeding-place from the other fowls; and 
 though Geese and Ducks may be excluded on such 
 occasions without much difficulty, this is not so easily 
 managed with Tui-keys, and far more than their just 
 proportion is too often gobbled up by them. They are 
 delicate when young, and, except in very favourable 
 localities, require more attention than can be profitably 
 bestowed on them. On large farms, where a wide 
 
POULTRY IN A VERY CONFINBD SPACE. 7 
 
 range of stubble will supply tbeir food during several 
 of the autumn months, their case is open to far more 
 favourable considerations ; but on small occupations 
 we are unable to believe that their profit usually 
 exceeds their cost. The Norfolk or the Cambridge 
 breeds would be those we should ourselves choose ; the 
 latter is a larger, and, as many think, a hardier bird. 
 
 As to Quinea Fowls, a few words may suffice for our 
 present purpose, since narrow limits are altogether 
 unsuitable for them if we have any wish to profit by 
 their produce : hedgerows a quarter of a mile off are 
 quite as likely to contain their nests as any situation 
 nearer their home. They are difficult to rear, and, 
 though commaaiding a good price in spring, must be 
 kept through summer, autumn, and winter. 
 
 If the inquirer for advice as to the kind of fowls he 
 should keep has only a small enclosure to devote to 
 them, then our reply is. Keep Cochin-Chinas, and in 
 these we include the Brahma Pootra. They bear con- 
 finement better than any other variety we know, are 
 excellent layers throughout the year, and, if eaten 
 young, are good table fowls. 
 
 If the inquirer wishes to keep fowls for exhibition, 
 then must he be guided by his own taste. 
 
 POULTRY IN A VERY CONFINED SPACE. 
 
 A few years since we were taken to see some fowls 
 kept at a very lofty house at the seaside — every square 
 inch turned to account for lodgers ; but, for the sake 
 of light and air for the two subterranean storeys, there 
 
8 POULTRY IN A VERY CONFINED SPACE. 
 
 was what we should call in mines a shaft, or what those 
 who live on the earth would perhaps term a well with- 
 out water. At the bottom of this, and on flagstone 
 pavement, there lived three fowls. We were told they 
 were not well, and asked to prescribe for them. We 
 found them Dorkings. Three hens had laid sixty eggs 
 in a month. There was nothing the matter with them, 
 except they lacked some of the essentials for health. 
 They had literally nothing but some black oats thrown 
 down on paving-stones. They were suffering as a human 
 being would suffer who had nothing but the choicest 
 sirloin of beef every day, sine bread or vegetables. 
 As there was no lack of grass, we cut some large sods, 
 and threw them down. It was pleasant to see the 
 delight of the birds. They flew upon them ; they tore 
 off the blades ; they scratched vigorously till they were 
 pulled in pieces ; they ate mould, and when they had 
 nearly pulverised all, they rolled in it, and played at 
 basking. If the sun could have reached them they 
 would have done so in reality. They were not like the 
 same birds the next morning. No better proof can be 
 asked for that they were in perfect health and strength, 
 and needed only those things that Nature has declared 
 to be necessary. It was keeping poultry under diffi- 
 culties; but it proved, that in a space 13 feet long 
 and 9 feet wide, can be kept one cock and two if not 
 four hens. Our stipulations being observed, and the 
 breed chosen being either Cochin or Brahma, we will 
 guarantee health and eggs. It is neither necessary 
 nor desirable the space should be covered. All that is 
 requisite is that a portion large enough for them to 
 
POULTRY- YARD AND ITS FITTINGS. 9 
 
 roost under should be sheltered, and that the floor of 
 it should be covered with loose earth, gravel, or dust. 
 We will also stipulate that the place allotted to them 
 be neither pitched nor paved. Let it be gravel or loose 
 earth, and, above all, a heap of dust in one corner for 
 them. The greatest necessity, or the greatest luxury, 
 as it may be, is, however, to throw into the pens some 
 large sods of growing grass ; they should be large and 
 heavy, to resist a pull that will allow the grass to be 
 pulled off, and to supply a parcel of fresh mould, part 
 of which will be eaten, and the remainder will supply 
 the dust in which they love to lie when exposed to the 
 sun. The food should be the scraps of the house, and 
 ground oats for a change ; but there must never be 
 any food on the ground. 
 
 POULTRY- YARD AND ITS FITTINGS. 
 
 It is quite possible, as we have just stated, to keep a 
 few fowls where there is no other convenience than a 
 yard of very limited extent. We must consider the 
 accommodations and requisites for keeping fowls well 
 on a moderate scale, and it must be left to each reader 
 to adapt them to his own circumstances and premises. 
 Everywhere there must be some alterations, or omis- 
 sions, or compromises. 
 
 PouUrySouse. — From the variable character of our 
 English climate, it is evident that any one rule for the 
 precautions to be taken against our poultry suffering 
 from insufficient housing would be open to many excep- 
 tions. Where boarding is employed for the sides, the 
 
10 POtJLTKY-YAKD AND ITS FITTINGS. 
 
 straw lining, or, what would be still better, one made 
 from the marsh reeds, so durable for thatching, is 
 unnecessary in the milder parts of England ; and thus 
 we avoid the hazard of affording a shelter to rats or 
 smaller but not less obnoxious vermin, who covet such 
 a retreat beyond any other locality. Wherever, there- 
 fore, these are found requisite in winter, we would 
 suggest their being made in panels, so as to be removed 
 at pleasure ; and for the roof a rough ceiling of lath 
 and plaster would have many advantages, especially as 
 affording easy access to the lime brush, for lime-washing 
 is an operation that should never be neglected four or 
 five times at least in the course of the year. Those 
 who have insisted on this cleansing process know well 
 how amply the trouble is repaid by the increased 
 comfort and consequent health of their stock. 
 
 The screens of straw or reeds, if permanent, provide 
 far too comfortable an abode for mice, even where 
 doors and walls are proof against the rats. Brickwork 
 should certainly have the preference for the walls ; but 
 wherever wood is employed for that purpose it should 
 be tongued — a very inexpensive method for providing 
 against warping by heat, or admitting wind or rain ; 
 lying flat against the uprights there is an economy of 
 material, and an external appearance far superior to 
 any other method of boarding ; and if the second coat 
 of paint is rough-cast over with sand, such buildings 
 will not be objected to even in the more ornamental 
 parts of our grounds. Railroad sheds of various kinds 
 are constructed on this principle; and if we also 
 borrowed from them their corrugated roof of galvanised 
 
POULTRY-YARD AND ITS FITTINGS. 11 
 
 iron, we should be enabled to dispense with the heavier 
 portion of the timber required for our roof ; but then, 
 for warmth's sake, a ceiling would be indispensable. 
 
 Floor. — Bricks or pavements of any kind we regard 
 as the worst of all materials for the floor ; they retain 
 moisture, whether atmospheric or arising from insuffi- 
 cient drainage ; and thus the temperature is kept low 
 when warmth is most essential, and disease too often 
 follows, especially rheumatic attacks of the feet and 
 legs. In one only of our own houses we retained a 
 brick bottom, and in that one house only all such 
 attacks occurred. 
 
 The flooring of a poultry-house should be of dry 
 gravel, and quite loose to the depth of 2 or 3 inches 
 — nothing can then adhere to it; and it is neither 
 necessary nor right to sweep the floor of a poultry- 
 house. A long birch or heath broom may be drawn 
 lightly over the surface. It will remove everything 
 that offends, but if turned over with a spade twice or 
 thrice weekly, the earth deodorises the dung and be- 
 comes a good fertiliser in the course of a few months, 
 and has then to be removed and replaced by fresh earth. 
 
 A mixture of gravel and coal ashes makes an ex- 
 cellent flooring; and in which the fowls delight to 
 busk. 
 
 The following plans offer every requisite convenience. 
 
 The first is a plan for a poultry-yard suitable for a 
 confined situation ; for example, the end of a garden 
 in a town. 
 
 The arrangement given chiefly applies to the breeding 
 season. Afterwards the yards and houses should be 
 
12 
 
 POULTRT-YARD AND ITS FITTINGS. 
 
 used for keeping the sexes separate until the next 
 season. The front of the shed for chickens should be 
 
 GROUNO PLAN 
 
 GARDEN 
 
 A. Honse for sitting-henB. B. Shed for hena and their chickens. C. Shed 
 for fowls (stock). D. Roosting-honse for stock. E. Yard for chickens. 
 "S. Yard for fowls (stock). 
 
 E.LEVATION 
 
 of wire. The fences to the yards should also be of 
 wire 7 feet high. 
 
POULTRT-TARD AND ITS FITTINGS. 13 
 
 The designs on tliis page are for a poultry-yard for 
 
 A A A A A. Pens for hens and their chickens, separated hy wire. A fine 
 shonld ran the whole length of these from the fireplace. B. X>. Sitting- 
 hens. GCC. Bins for food. E E E. Sheds. F f F. Boosting-honses. 
 
 breeding Dorking, Shanghae (Cochin), and Spanish 
 fowls in a limited space, and yet keeping the breeds pure. 
 
14 POULTRY-YARD AND ITS FITTINGS. 
 
 The Shanghaes should be placed in the centre, as 
 
 they are not so likely to quarrel with their neighbours 
 as the others. 
 
 The yards should be enclosed by wire fencing 6 feet 
 high, and the fences between the yards should be close- 
 boarded to about 
 2 feet 6 inches from 
 the ground. The 
 roosting-house for 
 the Cochin -Chinas 
 should have a bar- 
 
 FBAMB FOB BOOST. 
 
 red floor, and the others roost-frames, which should be 
 moved out when the floors are being cleaned. The nests 
 •in the roosting-houses should be for laying only ; and 
 
 a wooden flap should 
 be hung in the passage, 
 at the back of the nests, 
 so as to enable a per- 
 son to remove the eggs 
 without going into the 
 roosting-houses. The 
 walls should be built of 
 brick, 9 inches thick, and built hoUow. If expense 
 is not an object, the long passage and the pens for 
 
 SECTION OF KEST SHOWING FLAP. 
 
POULTRY- YARD AND ITS FITTINGS. 15 
 
 chickens might be covered with glass, and grapes grown 
 on the rafters. The sheds, e, should have a layer of 
 sand 6 inches deep. The floors of the roosting- 
 houses, and the food and sitting-houses should be 
 paved with chalk, laid on dry coal ashes to absorb 
 the moisture. 
 
 Feeding-troughs. — At one time we mis-spent our own 
 ingenuity and that of our friends in contriving a poultry 
 feeding-trough ; but experience has taught us that the 
 best arrangement is a long, open trough shaped like 
 that for pigs, but on a small scale, and placed behind 
 some round rails driven into the ground 3 inches 
 apart, so that the fowls cannot get into the troughs so 
 as to upset them or dirty the food. The rails are best 
 driven into the ground in a row, about a foot from one 
 of the sides of the yard, and if all of a height they 
 aUow of a slanting wooden cover or roof to be over the 
 trough to exclude wet, and to prevent the fowls flying 
 over the rails. The troughs should be scrubbed clean 
 once a-week, or oftener in summer. Cleanliness is the 
 best preventive of disease. Crook's feeding-cage is on 
 the same principle, and has the advantage of being 
 portable. It effectually preserves from dirt the food 
 supplied to the fowls. Each bird can only insert his 
 head and neck between the bars; and the top can 
 reaidily be taken off from the bottom when cleansing is 
 needful. Messrs. Crook have also a fountain main- 
 taining a constant supply of clean water by preventing 
 the birds either dirting it with their feet or dung, and 
 the inside of the reservoir can be cleaned without any 
 difficulty, which was a desideratum these fountains are 
 
16 
 
 POULTEY-TARD AND ITS FITTINGS. 
 
 the only ones to satisfy. Both the fountains and feeding- 
 cages are made of galvanised iron, so that they are 
 never rusty, and are very durable. The feeding-cages 
 are as useful for Rabbits as for poultry. 
 
 Sparrows when numerous are great consumers of the 
 food given to poultry ; and to exclude them the follow- 
 ing protection has been adopted : — Four posts, or as 
 
 AAA Are the posts. 
 B The door. 
 
 c A fowl entering. 
 
 D A disgusted and hungry sparrow. 
 
 many as may be required, are firmly fixed in the 
 
 ground. A coil of sparrow-proof wire is then wound 
 
 all round, except at one end, outside these, and pegged 
 
 down to the ground. A piece of wire is then placed 
 
 over the top, and connected with 
 
 the sides and end by twisting. The 
 
 door is composed of the same wire 
 
 fastened on a strong piece of wire 
 
 bent into a square form, and of 
 
 such a size that it shall swing easily 
 
 in the aperture left for it. Two 
 
 pieces of wire bent into an g are hooked to the top, 
 
 and these hang on a piece of strong wire stretched 
 
POULTRY- YAKD AND ITS FITTINGS. 17 
 
 tightly (for it must not bend) across the doorposts. 
 The fowls push open the swing door to feed, and this 
 sparrows have not strength to do; and the desideratum 
 of feeding one's fowls and not the sparrows is also 
 accomplished. After ^ little practice the fowls become 
 used to it, but it must be left open at first to encourage 
 them. It is quite amusing to watch the sparrows 
 during this feeding; they perch round and on the 
 wire, apparently loudly exclaiming against the con- 
 trivance and their swindle, and they adjourn afterwards 
 in despair to the breakfast Nature has provided them 
 with, and which, when corn-fed, they are too lazy to seek. 
 Water-troughs. — These, like the feeding -troughs, may 
 be placed behind rails ; but, whether so placed or not, 
 they should be of a form that will prevent the fowls 
 dirtying the Water, and keep young fowls from being 
 drovmed in them. 
 
 A contrivance is furnished by a correspondent, who 
 says, " I find it answer the purpose quite as well as the 
 most expensive ones. The articles required are simply 
 a flower-pot and saucer. Detach a piece from the rim 
 of a flower-pot, about three quarters of an inch deep, 
 and an inch wide, plug the hole in the bottom of the 
 pot vrith a piece of cork, fill the pot with water, placing 
 the saucer on the top, then quickly turn the whole up- 
 side down, when the water will fill the space in the 
 saucer around the pot. The hole in the rim of the 
 pot must not be quite so deep as the height of the side 
 of the saucer, and the plug must be air-tight — that is 
 the secret of success. It is easily cleaned, simple and 
 cheap, and no fear of the chickens dabbling in it." 
 
 c 
 
18 POtlLTET-YAED AND ITS FITTINGS. 
 
 The simplest for this purpose are vessels of red 
 pottery, being a saucer formed of cir- 
 cular, concentric troughs (as shown 
 in the annexed engraving), about an 
 inch vride, and of the same depth, 
 sold at all earthenware shops for 
 forcing early mustard in. 
 
 Grass Bun. — The yard should 
 have about a quarter of an acre of grass near it, in 
 which the fowls may be turned out on alternate days. 
 The larger the grass run the more advantageous, and it 
 should be divided by wire netting into two or more dis- 
 tinct enclosures, so that each of them in turn may re- 
 main unvisited by the fowls for a week. Where many 
 fowls congregate diseases are caused unless this fresh- 
 ness of ground can be secured. The remarkable health- 
 fulness of Lady Holmesdale's poultry is secured by 
 having moveable houses, which are taken at intervals 
 to fresh localities in the Park. 
 
 Moveable Mouses. — These are extensively employed in 
 the districts of .France, as at La Fleche and Le Mans, 
 where the farmers make a profit from rearing poultry 
 for the metropolitan markets. M. Giot has success- 
 fully adopted this plan. 
 
 The interior of the hen-house resembles that of 
 ordinary fixed hen-houses. Its size differs according 
 to the quantity of poultry which you may desire to put 
 in it, and it is mounted upon wheels like a carriage, in 
 order that you may shift it about more easily. It is 
 moved by manual labour, or vrith the help of a horse, 
 according to its size or the condition of the soil which 
 
POULTRY-YARD AND ITS FITTINGS. 19 
 
 it traverses. It is desirable to have it furnished with a 
 door, which can be closed at night in districts where 
 there is reason to dread the ravages of vermin. If 
 there are thieves in the neighbourhood, it may be 
 necessary to place a watch-dog in charge of the 
 " colony." 
 
 The results of this system are numerous. Chief of 
 these is the destruction of insects to the advantage of 
 edible fowls, the more complete destruction of insects, 
 and the preservation of the fowls in much better health 
 than in enclosed courts. 
 
 For persons who desire to try this system, the follow- 
 ing mode of procedure may be recommended : — ^About 
 the middle of March, if the weather is favourable, the 
 moveable hen-house may be placed in the field. Its 
 inhabitants should receive one-fifth part of their food 
 in corn, this being necessary to correct the effects of 
 the course of worms and grubs to which they are at 
 first apt to devote themselves too exclusively. During 
 harvest and in autumn they have no need of such addi- 
 tional diet, at least in ordinary cases,, but they may 
 occasionally require water. At the end of October the 
 spring regimen should be returned to, and on the first 
 approach of frost the hen-house must be sent back to 
 the farm. 
 
 During the ploughing season it is necessary to follow 
 day after day the course of the plough, in order to 
 destroy vrith certainty the larvae turned up by that 
 operation. After harrowing, it is profitable to do the 
 same thing, in order to allow the fowls to pick up the 
 grains which they find on the surface. 
 
20 POULTRY-YARD AND ITS FITTINGS. 
 
 Several objections hare been made to this system, 
 but experience appears to have refuted them. Some 
 farmers had expressed a fear of seeing their poultry 
 wander ; they know now that there is no danger of that. 
 At the end of some days the birds know perfectly their 
 own house in all its travels. Others maintained that 
 hens, from their scratching propensities, would do more 
 harm than good in the sown lands, where it was re- 
 commended to place them after the harrows. It is true 
 the hen scratches, but it can scarcely be said that she 
 is invariably a scratching animal. Thus in a court, 
 often very small, where her eye cannot discover food 
 necessary for the satisfaction of her hunger, she 
 naturally scrapes up the soil ; but allowed to go freely 
 in open fields, she soon loses that habit. It is sufficient, 
 then, in order to insure the safety of the fields of sown 
 grain, that the fowls should not be permitted to remain 
 too long on the same spots ; for the habit which they 
 have of digging-up the soil and half burying themselves 
 there, for the promotion of their digestion, can do no 
 harm to the crops if they are moved 'sufficiently often 
 to prevent them burrowing repeatedly in the • same 
 place. 
 
 It is even observable that in the stations of the hen- 
 house the crops are superior, owing, without doubt, to 
 the better mixture of land with the manure and feathers 
 which these animals leave there. 
 
 In respect to sown fields, M. Giot reports to the 
 effect that he had tried such a structure as is here 
 described, and that he was surprised to find that the 
 hens had carefully picked up all the grubs that made 
 
FOOD. 21 
 
 their appearance one morning after rain, along with all 
 the grains of corn that were left uncovered by the 
 operation of the harrow, but that they never once 
 attempted to scratch up those which had been properly 
 deposited in the seed-bed. — {Scottish Farmer.) 
 
 FOOD. 
 
 Let every keeper of poultry remember these thre 
 most important truths. 1st, That over-feeding, whether 
 by excess of quantity or excess of stimulating quality, 
 is the cause of the most usual diseases and deaths in 
 the poultry-yard. 2ndly, That a daily supply of green 
 food, grass, or cabbage leaves, or other vegetable refuse, 
 is most conducive to the health of poultry. Even for 
 chickens a week old it is necessary ; lettuce leaves are 
 especially beneficial. Srdly, That a dry heap of sand, 
 or earth, or coal ashes is absolutely required for poultry 
 to busk in daily. It keeps them free from vermin, and 
 is as needful for them as a bath is to preserve health in 
 human beings. This heap of dry material should be 
 under a shed to protect it from rain, and should have 
 a little gravel and limy rubbish mixed with it. Poultry 
 pick out from it little pebbles to promote the grinding 
 of their food in their gizzards, and chalky matter for 
 the formation of the egg-shell. 
 
 For five hens and a cock of the large kinds the 
 following would be a good week's allowance : — 5 lbs. of 
 barleymeal, 10 lbs. of potatoes, boiled and mashed; 
 7 lbs. of oats bruised, 3 lbs. of rice boiled ; 3 lbs. of 
 b ran scalded. They should have their food three times 
 
22 BKEEDINO STOCK — ^MANAGEMENT OF SITTING HEN. 
 
 a-day. The barleymeal, potatoes, rice, and bran 
 should be mixed together, and li lb. given to them 
 morning and evening, and 1 lb. of the bruised oats in 
 the middle of the day. The supply of green food 
 may be ■without limit. 
 
 BREEDING STOCK. 
 
 The cock should be a year older than the hens, and 
 in no way related. Let him be purchased from a 
 different breeder. Neither let him be the parent of 
 chickens from pullets that are his own offspring. Breed- 
 ing in-and-in produces degeneracy in fowls as in all 
 other animals. 
 
 The best proportions are five hens to one cock, and 
 the latter should be changed every second year for a 
 younger bird from a different strain. The hens should 
 be changed every third year ; but some pullets for early 
 eggs should be added annually. 
 
 When it is desired to breed from a fresh male bird 
 the hens should be alone for two months before the 
 fresh cock is put with them, if it is in the spring ; but 
 it matters less in the winter, as the cocks are not then 
 so attentive to the hens. It is bad to have many cocks 
 with the hens, and, therefore, it is well to have a run. 
 that can be given up to them. 
 
 MAJSTAGEMENT OF SITTING HEN. 
 Preventing Sitting. — If a hen persists in requiring to 
 sit at a time when you do not wish ' her to do so, shut 
 
MANAGEMENT OF SITTING HEN. 23 
 
 her up for a few days in a place away from that where 
 she had taken to her nest. Give her plenty of low 
 food, such as boiled potatoes and boiled rice, and a free 
 supply of water. After that, place her under a coop 
 in some part of the premises previously unknown to 
 the hen, feeding her as before. At the end of a week 
 she may be returned to the poultry-yard, and in about 
 a fortnight will begin to lay again. If the hen persists 
 in being broody the above treatment must be repeated. 
 There is no doubt a hen requires this cessation from 
 egg-laying. 
 
 Hatching-nests. — These we prefer on the ground, and 
 formed of damp turf, lined with dry heath and moss 
 collected from trees, or else with straw cut into small 
 pieces. The nest should be made so large that the hen 
 can just fill it, not very deep, and as nearly flat inside 
 at the bottom as possible, so that the eggs may not 
 lean against each other, or they are very liable to be 
 broken, especially by the hens turning them. A little 
 Scotch snuff is also a good thing to keep the nests 
 free from vermin. Why we recommend ground nests, 
 and rather damp, is, that it is admitted that the 
 hen that steals a nest in a hedge generally hatches all 
 her eggs, and brings home strong chickens; whereas 
 the hen that sits at home in a dry box or basket often 
 spoils many of her eggs, and her chickens are fre- 
 quently weakly, which we attribute to the great 
 evaporation that takes place from the egg during 
 incubation in such unnaturally dry nests, which also 
 renders the chicken feverish and weakly. 
 
 A writer well known to us, and a very practical man, 
 
24 
 
 MANAGEMENT OF SITTING HEN. 
 
 recommends nests of wicker-work, with wooden divi- 
 sions and the following dimensions : — 
 
 Writing on these in "The Cottage Gardener," he 
 says, " We have used most contrivances in this way, 
 but never found any to answer so completely as these. 
 The hens take to them, and we require no better judg- 
 ment than that. An augur, a saw, a bill-hook, a clasp- 
 knife, a stout piece of leather for hinges, some iron 
 tacks, a few poles 2 inches diameter cut fresh from 
 the water-willow, some strips, and a few seasoned 
 pieces of larch, or any other boards, are all the imple- 
 
 
 ■! Iiv'diri':':':; 
 
 .-■—(3 
 
 J-'" 
 
 
 
 ments and material I made use of in their construction. 
 Rive the willow rods into laths two-eighths of an inch 
 thick ; wattle them on the frame as per drawing. Why 
 I give the preference to these wattled boxes, in lieu of 
 those formed of solid boards, is by reason of the 
 constant circulation of air going on through the inter- 
 stices. This has a great deal more to do with the 
 health and comfort of the hens, and the prospective 
 
MANAGEMENT OF SITTING HEN. 25 
 
 'counting of the chickens before they are hatched,' 
 than a great many people are aware of. In nine cases 
 out of ten sitting-boxes are too hot, close, and dry." 
 
 Before you risk the sitting, be sure the hen is really 
 broody. This may be done by allowing her one or two 
 worthless eggs for a day or two. A broody hen wiU 
 sometimes sit for a time sufficient to turn the eggs, 
 then desert for eight or ten hours, and then sit steadily. 
 This endangers their hatching. As it is unlikely when 
 the hen comes off that she wiU go on wet grass, and by 
 wetting her breast moisten the eggs as much as is 
 necessary, it will be essential, during the last ten or 
 twelve days, to sprinkle them daily. They do not want 
 to be soused in water ; but while the hen is off, they 
 should be sprinkled, by the hand being dipped in 
 cold water, and then wrung, or shaken, over them, till 
 it is scattered on each egg. It is the neglect of this 
 precaution that causes the numerous complaints of 
 eggs not hatching, although there are chickens in them 
 all. The egg is burned up with drought; and the 
 inner membrane becomes so dry, the chickens cannot 
 make their way out. There is a very natural explana- 
 tion of it. If a hen steal her nest, she leaves at break 
 of day, while the grass is wet with dew, and seeks her 
 food. When she returns to it, her breast is dripping 
 with water, and in this state she sits on her eggs. She 
 hatches all, or nearly all. 
 
 When a hen has hatched four or five out of thirteen 
 eggs, take the chickens away ; and, having filled a 
 deep, narrow basket with soft hay, put the chickens 
 in some flannel, and place them near a fire, in-doors, 
 
26 MANAGEMENT OF SITTINO HEN. 
 
 according to temperature. RemoTe the empty shells. 
 When all are hatched, clean the nest, and place all 
 the chickens under the hen. She will attend to them 
 for some hours afterwards. We should have said, at 
 the beginning, that a hen should sit in a quiet place, 
 where she will not be disturbed by others that are not 
 in the same predicament. 
 
 Number of Eggs. — In winter and early spring even 
 the largest hen should not have more than nine eggs 
 put under her, and in summer eleven. For small hens 
 two less are quite sufficient. Place all the eggs under 
 the hen at the same time, and mark with a pencil over 
 the nest the date at which she ought to hatch. 
 
 Age of Eggs for Sitting. — ^We prefer eggs not older 
 than a fortnight. Eggs much older have produced 
 thrifty chickens, but it is certain, as a general rule, 
 that the older the egg the weaker its progeny. To 
 keep the eggs until you are ready for them put a box 
 in a dry place in your kitchen, not too near the fire ; 
 partition the box, so as to hold separately the different 
 eggs of the various sorts ; let bran be well dried in the 
 oven and put into the partitions, and cover the eggs 
 with the bran as they are placed in ; and this should 
 be done soon after they are laid. In this manner they 
 will be prolific from a fortnight to three weeks. Always 
 mind to place the thin end of the egg dovmwards, so as 
 to stand upright. Set your hens in a dry, warm place 
 in cold weather, or you will find your mistake out 
 when you look for chickens. A warm situation has 
 advantages which may not always be foreseen, and the 
 following instance is remarkable, showiug how long 
 
MANAGEMENT OF SITTING HEN. 27 
 
 eggs may be left uncovered without destroying their 
 vitality. Eggs had been supplied, and a sitting hen 
 lent to a neighbour, and when she had sat in a granary 
 ten days was shut out through the carelessness of a 
 servant. Being a stranger in the farmyard, the hen 
 was not recognised, but supposed to have strayed in 
 from an adjoining walk, and thirty hours elapsed 
 before it was discovered that the hen had left her nest. 
 The farmer's wife despaired of her brood, but, to her 
 surprise and pleasure, eight chickens were hatched. 
 The tiled roof of the granary was fully exposed to the 
 rays of the sun, and the temperature very high, 
 probably above 80° during the day, and not much 
 lower at night. 
 
 Packing Eggs for Travelling. — Eggs may be sent 
 hundreds of miles and produce chickens afterwards. 
 We know of thirteen eggs which, after journeying 
 300 miles (from Winchester to Kendal), produced nine 
 chickens. They were in a strong box, 2 inches of 
 bran at the bottom, then an inch layer of oats, on this 
 the eggs were laid on their sides, covered an inch deep 
 with oats, and then 2 inches deep of bran. 
 
 A gentleman of much experience wrote as follows to 
 us on this subject : — " As an experiment to test my 
 mode of packing eggs, I sent five eggs more than 
 170 miles by railway ; they were absent three days, 
 and twice travelled through London in the railway van. 
 On their return they were placed with some other eggs 
 under a hen, and four out of the five eggs were duly 
 hatched. These eggs were carefully packed, and the 
 Hd of the box screwed down. The only objection to 
 
28 MANAGEMENT OF SITTING HEN. 
 
 oats, as a packing material, is, that sometimes, but 
 very rarely, an egg may be pierced with the sharp end 
 of an oat; I have only known, however, one or two 
 instances of such an accident. The plan I now adopt 
 in packing eggs is to wrap each egg in several folds of 
 newspaper, and then place a thick layer of cotton- wool 
 and straw cut to the length of the box, both under 
 and over the eggs, filling up every interstice with 
 pledgets of cotton-wool. This plan prevents any 
 chance of the eggs being broken, and preserves their 
 vitality as well as is done by the oats. There is one 
 thing I invariably do, and I think ought to be done by 
 every one who sells eggs for sittings, and that is to 
 write on each egg, legibly with a pencil, the date on 
 which it was laid. Egg-boxes should invariably have 
 their lids screwed down. I have constantly received 
 boxes of valuable eggs, of which not one has hatched, 
 and, I believe, solely in consequence of the lids being 
 nailed down, the jar of the hammer destroying the 
 vitality of the egg. 
 
 " No eggs should be packed in sawdust, nor should 
 eggs more than ten days old be sent to any distance." 
 
 Detecting the Sex in an Egg. — We never yet met with 
 any one who could foretel what sex the chicken would 
 be that was to be produced by an egg ; yet the opinion 
 that it could be so foretold is as old as the days of 
 Horace. He says in his Satires, Lih. ii., Sat. iv. 
 
 *^ Longa quibng facies otIb erit, iUa memento, 
 Ut Bucd melioris, et at magis alma rotundis, 
 Ponere : namque marem cohibent callosa Titellnm." 
 
 That is, " When you would feast on eggs, select the 
 
MANAGEMENT OF SITTING HEN. 
 
 20 
 
 long ones ; they are whiter, sweeter, and more nourish- 
 ing than the round, and would produce cocks." 
 
 Francis, in giving the translation in verse, writes 
 thus — 
 
 " Long be your eggs, far sweeter thau the round, 
 Cock-eggs they are, more nourishing and sound." 
 
 To show how poets as well as doctors differ, he adds 
 in a note, " This precept is contradicted by experience. 
 The round are male eggs, and their shell is harder than 
 that of the long." 
 
 However, others entertain an opinion contrary to 
 ourselves, and more than one says that the following 
 mode is infallible. 
 
 At the large end of the egg there is a circular space 
 or cavity containing air, which country folks call " the 
 crown " of the egg. "When you examine the egg, hold 
 it, the large end uppermost, 
 before a candle or gas-light, 
 and in looking through it 
 you win observe a dark cir- 
 cular mark something similar 
 to the moon when partially 
 eclipsed. This dark circular 
 mark is the space filled with 
 air, or "the crown" of the 
 egg, and is to be found in all 
 eggs, situated either in the 
 centre or on the side of the 
 perpendicular dotted line. 
 (See diagram.) 
 
 One of our correspondents says : " My method of 
 
 1. Centre-ero^n, male. 
 
 2. Side-cro\ni, female. 
 
30 
 
 MANAGEMENT OP SITTING HEN. 
 
 examining the egg is as follows : — I make use of the 
 thumb and forefinger of my left hand as two points, 
 by placing the small end of the egg on my thumb, my 
 forefinger covering the large end of it, and as near the 
 centre of each end as possible. I then place the egg 
 in this position steadily before a candle, and gently 
 turn it round ; if the crown be in the centre it will be 
 scarcely visible, the forefinger nearly covering it. On 
 the contrary, if the crown be on the side (No. 2) you 
 will only see it on one side of the egg as you turn it 
 round." 
 
 Detecting Unfertile Eggs. — Another correspondent 
 says : " The knowledge is of some value, for supposing 
 you have two or three hens 
 sitting at the same time, the 
 fertile eggs can be put under 
 one hen, and fresh eggs sup- 
 plied to the others, and the 
 unfertile ones even after they 
 have been sat upon for a 
 week, will be perfectly good 
 for cooking-purposes, though, 
 probably, no persons will be- 
 lieve the fact until they have 
 themselves made the trial. 
 Last year, I put thirteen duck's eggs under a hen. At 
 the end of the first week I judged seven to be all right, 
 and six not. The later were removed and used, and 
 six hen's eggs put in their place ; and, in the end, I 
 had a mixed brood of thirteen. This year I have 
 'removed at least a score of eggs without making a 
 
MANAGEMENT OF SITTING HEN. 31 
 
 single mistalce, and all I left had chickens. My plan 
 is Tery simple. 
 
 " You must hold up the egg between the forefinger 
 and thumb to the light of the sun or candle ; vrhen, if 
 there is a chicken forming, you will observe a line as 
 in the annexed diagram, and the larger portion below 
 the line will be dark. Whereas if it be an unfertile 
 egg it will be light, almost as much so as when first 
 put under the hen. If the shell be very clear and thin, 
 you may observe the difference, even at the end of three 
 days ; but at the end of a week you will be able to pass 
 judgment unhesitatingly after a very little practice." 
 
 Double Eggs. — These, which have two yolks, should 
 never be used for hatching-purposes. We have known 
 two chickens formed in such eggs, but we never knew 
 of one of them emerging alive from the shell. 
 
 Season for Sitting. — 'We consider March, April, and 
 early May the best periods for sitting all kinds of 
 poultry. The chickens then have the warmest period 
 of the year to grow in. 
 
 Feeding. — The hens while sitting may be fed on the 
 same food as we have directed for the general stock ; 
 but both whole barley and soft food, chiefly barleymeal 
 and mashed potatoes, must be given her when she 
 comes off her nest, and as much as she will eat, for she 
 leaves her nest but once daily. It should be ready for 
 her when she comes off, vdth abundance of clean water, 
 and a dry dust heap for her to busk in. A hen rarely 
 stays off from her eggs more than half an hour ; and 
 if she delays returning much longer she should be 
 driven back to them gently. 
 
.32 TIME OCCUPIED IN SITTING — CHICKEN MANAGEMENT- 
 TIME OCCUPIED IN SITTING. 
 The hen of all kinds of gallinaceous fowls, from the 
 Bantam to the Cochin-China, sits for twenty-one days ; 
 Bucks of the usual breeds twenty-six to twenty-eight 
 days; Muscovy Duck often thirty-five days, but the 
 time varies ; Goose, from thirty to thirty-five days ; 
 Cruinea fowl, from twenty- eight to thirty days ; Turkey, 
 twenty-eight days; Pea fowl from twenty-eight to 
 thirty days. 
 
 CHICKEN MANAGEMENT. 
 
 Chickens usually come out of the shell at the end of 
 twenty-one days ; but we have known their appearance 
 delayed until the twenty-third day, but the chickens 
 were weak and grew very slowly. From fresh eggs the 
 chicks are usually all out by the morning of the twenty- 
 second day; the strongest get out first. Remove the 
 empty shells and addled eggs, but leave the chickens 
 in the nest for one whole day, feeding the hen and 
 supplying her with water, but give nothing to the 
 chickens; they only require warmth during the first 
 twenty-four hours after hatching. Giving young 
 chickens a peppercorn or other stimulant is one of 
 the worst practices adopted by ignorance. 
 
 When they are twenty-four hours old place the hen 
 under a coop in a dry outhouse open to Ihe south^ 
 and upon a surface of dry earth 3 or 4 inches deep, 
 so that she can busk at pleasure. Put one of the 
 safety vessels of water already described outside the 
 
CHICKEN MANAGEMENT. 
 
 33 
 
 coop, but within her reach through its bars. She 
 may have the same food as the chickens. Coops, 
 
 too, are usually roughly 
 extemporised by invert- 
 ing a crate, or even 
 fastening wire net over 
 the open end of a cask, 
 but these, especially the 
 cask, are detrimental to 
 the chickens. 
 
 One good form is the above: The coop is made 
 without a bottom, to be placed in an orchard, &c., as 
 
 D 
 
34 CHICKEN MANAGEMENT. 
 
 may be convenient, and two (one inverted) can be 
 stowed away in a loft compactly. Next, the enclosure 
 is formed of two boards placed edgeways, with a 
 shorter one at the end, fastened at the corner, and 
 attached to the coop by small wire hooks, hooking into 
 wire staples. Then there are three deal frames filled 
 in with galvanised wire netting, two lying horizontally 
 on the boards forming the enclosure and one standing 
 upright against the front of the coop, and just retained 
 there by similar hooks, &c., to those spoken of before. 
 
 A more ornamental form is that represented on 
 page 35, designed by Mr. Geyelin, and thus described 
 by him. It is characterised by — 1st, Free admission 
 of sunlight and air ; 2nd, Shade and non-exposure of 
 chickens to change of weather ; 3rd, Easy supervision 
 of the chickens by the mother ; 4th, Being easily move- 
 able to fresh ground. 
 
 Feeding. — For the first fortnight chickens are best 
 kept upon alternate feedings of Indian meal, bread-. 
 crumbs, and eggs boiled hard, chopped fine, and mixed 
 with a little crushed hempseed. The Indian meal 
 should be only so far moistened as still 1^ remain 
 crumbly. After the first fortnight, and until large 
 enough to feed with the older fowls, give them daily, in 
 addition, a feed or two of either bruised wheat, or 
 bruised grits. From the very first days of their life 
 continue, without fail, to give them daily fresh green 
 food. Cabbage and lettuce leaves, and mowings of 
 grass are best. Remember, above all things, that a 
 little food given often — every two hours is not too frequently 
 — is the chief rule for chicken^rearing. For exhibition 
 
CHICKEN MANAGEMENT. 
 
 35 
 
 purposes the earlier the chickens can be hatched the 
 
 o ta 
 
 3.S-- 
 
 0J§ 
 
 <S 
 
 BB 
 
 all 
 
 CBOQ 
 
 •d era 
 
 I- 3-.° 
 
 p P P 
 N HO 
 
 •5 O 9 
 
 ©•a p 
 
 n g B 
 
 ia» 
 
 S'B'S 
 O-go 
 
 ffSg 
 
 IN 
 
 » = s 
 
 a> O O 
 
 PS 
 
36 CHICKEN MANAGEMENT. 
 
 better, and therefore a sitting in January is desirable. 
 In that case select a young, healthy hen to sit on five, 
 or at most seven eggs, and let her have a quiet, warm, 
 and sheltered place. If it will allow of her being shut 
 in so much the better. As the nest musi be on the 
 ground the locality must be chosen perfectly secure 
 from rain, or from the searching irruption of melted 
 snow. 
 
 Feed the hen generously, and, as the eggs soon chill 
 in the winter, let her always have food and water within 
 reach in small portions. Twice every day she should 
 have good oatmeal mixed with hot water, and given 
 warm. A few grains of hempseed in the middle of 
 the day are good food. 
 
 The difficulty that interferes most with rearing early 
 chickens is to overcome the long night of from fifteen 
 to sixteen hours, when they are without food. There 
 is only one substitute, and that is warmth. This must 
 be derived from the hen. It will now be seen why she 
 should not have more than seven chickens. If she had 
 nine they would, while small, be well covered; but 
 they grow, while the hen does not ; the consequence is, 
 she cannot cover them during the night. The outer 
 chicken, feeling the chiU, fidgets, or, as we used to say 
 at school, " squeeges," till it has displaced one of the 
 more fortunate among its brethren. But it was chilled 
 before it got in, and the shifted one is so as soon as it 
 gets out. They may not die directly, but they do not 
 thrive afterwards, and they will never win a silver cup. 
 How familiar the words are, " They did well, till they 
 were about five weeks old, and then one by one they 
 
CHICKEN MANAGEMENT. 37 
 
 died." The cure is to allow a hen but five chickens, 
 and she will rear four. She can cover them after they 
 have started to grow, and till the nights get shorter 
 and warmer. The hen should be under the coop, or 
 rip, till the chickens are at least ten weeks old, and 
 at night it should always be covered with matting or 
 sacking, or a piece of carpet. 
 
 Let them have, when young, plenty of curd, of egg 
 chopped fine, and of oatmeal mixed with new milk ; if 
 you can add thereto some onion tops so much the 
 better. During the short day of eight hours they 
 cannot be fed too often, and let them have some milk 
 to drink. 
 
 Feed your hen as you do the chickens; give them 
 the scraps and crumbs of the bread from your table, 
 and in cold and wet weather soak them in ale or wine- 
 Recollect, as a golden rule, no warmth is so beneficial 
 as that engendered by generous but proper feeding. 
 
 Comparative Hardiness of Chickens. — Certain breeds, 
 as Cochins and Brahmas, will live in spite of hard fare 
 and easterly winds ; while others, as Dorkings and 
 Spanish, require help. We will, therefore, give the 
 result of some experiments we have tried. 
 
 Cochins and Spanish were hatched on the same day 
 in January, and fed alike. We knew the same treat- 
 ment seldom succeeded with both ; but would give it a 
 fair trial. The Cochins nearly all lived ; the Spanish 
 died. At another place, Brahmas and Dorkings were 
 hatched — the Brahmas lived ; the Dorkings died. All 
 these had to rough it, and had no indulgence. 
 
 In February we hatched again. Then we gave extra 
 
38 TREATMENT DURING MOULTING. 
 
 care to the Spanish and Dorkings ; they did as well, 
 and grew as heartily as the Cochins and Brahmas. 
 
 In all these sittings the chickens came out strong. 
 They gradually fell off day by day. The first began 
 to die at the end of a week, and in three weeks none 
 were left. 
 
 In the February broods that succeeded, the chickens, 
 besides their usual feeding, had bread and ale three 
 times per day. With this assistance they never flag ; 
 but remain hearty, and busy seeking their food all day. 
 
 Our experience is, that on certain soils chickens 
 want stimulants for the first two or three weeks. It is 
 during this time the seeds of disease and weakness are 
 sown that afterwards result in death and disappoint- 
 ment. We cannot speak as to the soil that suits certain 
 breeds ; but we believe that a light soil on a gravelly 
 subsoil is best. 
 
 We are sure if poultry rearers will adopt our plan, 
 and provide their chickens with bread and beer for the 
 first three weeks of their lives, there will be fewer com- 
 plaints of their dying. 
 
 TREATMENT DURING MOULTING. 
 
 All birds require more warmth and more generous 
 diet during this time of drain upon their system. This 
 is especially the case with old fowls. Do not let them 
 out early in the morning if the weather is chilly, but 
 feed them under cover, and give them warm soft food 
 chiefly, such as bread and ale, milk porridge made 
 very thick with oatmeal, a little boiled meat, such as 
 
TREATMENT IN WINTER. 39 
 
 liver, &c., cut small, potatoes mashed up with pot- 
 liquor, and a little ground pepper mixed daily in their 
 mess. 
 
 TREATMENT IN WINTER. 
 
 The appearance of real winter is a holiday to many, 
 but it is none to the poultry. Water is frozen, the 
 gi-ound is so hard they cannot scratch ; there is not an 
 animal of any kind on its surface, and they must 
 depend on their owner for everythjng they want. See 
 they lack nothing. First, they must have water. Few 
 people have any idea of the suffering caused to birds 
 by the lack of water. Their power of maintaining 
 life on the smallest possible quantity of food is won- 
 derful, provided they have water ; but a practised eye 
 can tell in a dead fowl or Pigeon whether it suffered 
 or not from thirst. The skin becomes hard, dry, and 
 red; the flesh contracts, as it were, and becomes 
 brown; and the whole body looks as if it had been 
 suddenly shrivelled and dried-up. You must bear in 
 mind they require more food and better than they do 
 in milder weather, and, if you can, let them have a 
 greater variety. They want substitutes for the worms 
 and insects. Now, the scraps of meat and fat from 
 the table should go to the fowls. Save the drainings 
 of all the glasses, pour them together, and sweep all 
 the crumbs and odd corners of bread into it. Feed 
 the birds often, and, if there is snow, sweep a place 
 clean, and feed there. Never feed any kind of birds 
 in such manner that they shall pick up snow with their 
 food : it is strong medicine to them. The Lark that 
 
40 FATTENING. 
 
 fattens in two days during white hoar-frost becomes a 
 wretched skeleton after two days' snow. The wild 
 Duck that has cautiously crept into the stubble every 
 evening, and laid hidden in the sedge or rushes all day 
 till it has become plump and lazy, loses all the moment 
 the melted snow has poisoned the water — it is then 
 literally only skin and bone. Everything that depends 
 on itself for food becomes thin during a frost. This 
 has to be guarded against. Be careful, then, to keep 
 them supplied with water. Feed often, and give more 
 stimulating food than in milder weather. Do not let 
 them have snow mixed with their food. Provide them 
 with ashes in which they may scratch and take their 
 bath. 
 
 FATTENING. 
 
 No operation connected with the poultry-yard re- 
 quires greater attention and experience than fattening 
 fowls in coops. Oatmeal and barley meal alternately, 
 mixed with milk, and occasionally with a little drip- 
 ping, is good food. The feeding-troughs, which must 
 be kept constantly scoured, should be placed before 
 the birds at regular intervals, and when they have 
 eaten sufficient it is better to remove them, placing a 
 little gravel within reach of the coop to assist diges- 
 tion. Oats and rice are far inferior to oatmeal in their 
 flesh-forming properties. Keeping the birds without 
 food for some hours after they are put up fre- 
 quently induces them to take it more readily after- 
 wards, but sufficient attention is rarely bestowed on 
 the various details of preparation and supplying the 
 
FATTENING. il 
 
 food; hence complaints of the fowls deteriorating in 
 the fatting-pen are far from uncommon. Access to ' 
 water should be allowed at all times. 
 
 Fattening must be completed in from ten to twenty 
 days, for after that period they begin to lose weight. 
 The best age for table birds is when they are from four 
 to six months old. 
 
 The coop should be 3 feet high, 2 feet wide, and 
 4 feet long. This will admit from six to eight birds, 
 according to their size. The bottom and front should 
 be of bars 3 inches apart. A board outside the bars 
 in front, 6 inches wide, will serve as a stand for the 
 food and water-troughs. The coop should be in a 
 warm, well-Tentilated outhouse, and if kept dark be- 
 tween the times of feeding all the better. Sleep and 
 warmth promote fattening. 
 
 It must always be borne in mind that fattening 
 means only what it implies. It is (in table phrase) 
 adding fat to lean. It is useless to put up a skeleton, 
 however healthy, and to fancy that good meat wiU be 
 put on by feeding in confinement; the lean must be 
 made while the bird is running at liberty. Another 
 error against which we must warn our readers is the 
 idea that any amount of feeding will make a hard fowl 
 tender. Hardness is the result of age, and the dis- 
 tinction between " old " and " not very old " is, after a 
 certain age, nonsense so far as eating is concerned. A 
 fowl is an old one at ten months as certainly as at the 
 end of ten years. 
 
 We do not advise cramming under ordinary circum- 
 stances. It is good where fowls are intended for 
 
42 FATTENING. 
 
 market, but it is hardly necessary for home consump- 
 tion. If a coop be made for twelve or eighteen fowls 
 and four are put into it, they will not fatten, there will 
 be too much room. The birds must have room to 
 stand up, and to shift their position, but not to move 
 about. They should be fed three times per day ; their 
 food should be of such consistence that when laid on a 
 board in front of the coop it will not run off. The 
 food should be fresh-mixed each time, and no more 
 should be given than will be eaten entirely at each 
 meal. If the day's consumption is placed at once 
 before the bird it eats to repletion to the destruction 
 of appetite; the food turns sour, and then it takes 
 a distaste and does badly. The fattening fowls must 
 be fed every morning at daybreak; they must be 
 covered-up warm at night, and protected from cold 
 by day. If they have stale food, if they are fed 
 irregularly, if they arc kept in draughts and places 
 where they are not protected from cold, if they are 
 allowed to see other fowls running about, they will not 
 fatten. 
 
 There is no process by which fowls can be kept 
 healthy after they are fattened ; it is, therefore, neces- 
 sary to calculate the time and numbers. Thus, if a 
 dozen will be wanted between Christmas and New 
 Year's-day, they should be put up about the 3rd or 4th 
 of December. This will allow three weeks for fattening ; 
 and of the twelve, those that have made most progress 
 must be killed first. If the attempt be made to keep 
 them after they are thoroughly fattened, failure will be 
 the result. 
 
SENDING TO EXHIBITIONS. 
 
 43 
 
 SENDING TO EXHIBITIONS. 
 
 Let the fowls be fed -with soft nourishing food just 
 previously to being put into their travelling basket; 
 wash their feet at the same time, and put a thick 
 covering of hay over the bottom of the basket before 
 putting them in. 
 
 We give a sketch of the best basket we have seen. 
 
 It holds two pens of birds; the top of open work; 
 apertures at each end ; a closely-wickered division ; 
 and open-work doors, which fasten in the middle. 
 
 We know, however, that one poultry authority of 
 great experience objects to square baskets, on the 
 ground that the birds are more liable to break their 
 tail feathers in the angles of such baskets than they 
 are in circular baskets. He says, " The first require- 
 ment of a poultry basket is, that it be round, high 
 enough for the birds to stand upright in it, and that 
 the top be strong canvass, so that if the birds fly or 
 jump up they will not injure their heads. It should be 
 close all round. The basket should be 30 inches high,- 
 28 inches in diameter for four fowls, 22 inches for 
 
44 SENDING TO EXHIBIIIONS. 
 
 t 
 
 three, made of ordinary wickerwork, and as close as 
 possible. There is no necessity for any contrivance for 
 food. The fowl is in sorry condition and unfit either 
 to travel or for competition, if it cannot bear any delay 
 that is likely to occur." 
 
 It should always be remembered that it does not 
 follow that because fowls have been brought up to- 
 gether, and have lived in peace and amity in the same 
 yard, that they will do so in a cage, basket, or pen. 
 Those intended for exhibition should be tried by being 
 shut up together at times. If they beat one, that one 
 must be taken out; or if one beats the others, she 
 must be removed. Indeed, there is little hope of 
 success for a pen composed of quarrelsome birds. 
 When we see such we always blame the owner or his 
 servants, for we have never seen a yard from which we 
 could not pick an harmonious pen. 
 
 The birds should be well fed — ^rather better than 
 usual, for a fortnight before the show. 
 
 Let us here observe that perfection is as unattain- 
 able in fowls as in human beings, and this may 
 encourage many a beginner and many an exhibitor 
 whose hopes have been low, when he has seen the one 
 fault in the prize pen elect. The eye always seeks an 
 unpleasant object; and when the pen from which 
 great things are expected is put up for close scrutiny, 
 although the owner may speak only of its merits to his 
 friends, he must, if he tells the truth, confess he sees 
 only one great defect, and, believing judges will do the 
 same, discouragement follows. 
 
 Having stated our opinion that no pen is faultless, 
 
SENDING TO EXHIBITIONS. 45 
 
 we will now have to do with the faults themselves. 
 They are of two kinds. We will call them fatal and 
 venial. Fatal defects are those that at once outweigh 
 all merits and disqualify a pen. The second are those 
 that fowls have in common with others, and, therefore, 
 suffer the same comparison as merits. In the first 
 may be classed the absence of the fifth claw on one 
 foot of a Dorking ; a falling comb in a Spanish cock, 
 or a crooked one in a Cochin hen ; spikes and gills on 
 the head of a Polish cock; streamers in the tail of a 
 Sebright Bantam, or a hen tail in that of black or 
 white birds of the same breed; a black breast in a 
 Spangled Hamburgh or a Polish cock, or a splashed 
 one in a Grouse Cochin cock; five claws where four 
 only are correct; four where there should be five; 
 mixture of colour in the legs of the fowls composing a 
 pen ; a crooked breast in a Game cock ; a white breast 
 in a Polish or Spangled Hamburgh cock ; light hackle 
 in a Spangled, and dark one in a Pencilled Hamburgh. 
 Circumstances may, however, make that venial which 
 might have been fatal. For instance : imagine a class 
 so constituted that no pen was really meritorious, and 
 yet none so bad as to call imperatively for disqualifi- 
 cation. It must then come to a weighing of merits 
 and demerits. " In a nation of blind people, he who 
 has one eye is king." It is necessary in this case to 
 take each bird to weigh its disqualifications separately, 
 and then to compare them with others. Thus, there 
 may be in one a crooked comb, in another a faulty tail, 
 in this a light leg, in that a spotted hackle. These 
 faults, fatal if they are found in pens opposed to those 
 
46 KILLING POULTRY. 
 
 that are free from them, become venial, and rank only 
 in matter of degree when all the entries have them or 
 some of them. Judges have then to arrange among 
 themselves the exact importance of each defect. This 
 is always an unthankful task; A pen of average merit 
 free from glaring defect will always take precedence of 
 one of superior merit, but having some prominent 
 fault; and a comparison and weighing of defects will 
 often explain decisions that seem difficult to under- 
 stand from the absence of startling merit. An ac- 
 cidental injury — as the loss of a nail from the toe of a 
 cock is not a disqualification — is always considered as 
 accidental, and does not take away from the merit of 
 the subject of it. 
 
 Defects that are plainly hereditary, deformities, and 
 weakness, are all dangerous to success. The breaking 
 of a feather, the loss of a toe or nail, may be accounted 
 as little more important than dirt on the plumage. 
 
 When birds return from exhibition they should have 
 a meal of soft nourishing food, and be allowed, if fine 
 weather, to have the range for a day or two of a grassy 
 enclosure. Add them at night to the other tenants of 
 the roosting place, for these are apt, at first, to treat 
 them as strangers and intruders. 
 
 KILLING POULTRY. 
 
 Although the following directions were intended for 
 those who kill poultry wholesale, yet they are, for the 
 most part, available by those who have to kill on a 
 much smaller scale. They are furnished by Messrs. 
 
 iA 
 
KILLING POULTRY. 47 
 
 B. & S. Beatty, of Cayuga county, New York, who are 
 large poultry breeders : — 
 
 "Never kill a bird unless it is fat. Never cut oif 
 tbe head of a Turkey or Goose, but hang them by the 
 heels where they cannot bruise themselves in the death 
 struggle, and stick them with a small knife and bleed 
 them to death. Ducks and common fowls, if de- 
 capitated, should be held or tied and hung up to 
 bleed to death. Never kill your birds with full crops, 
 you will lose in price more than you gain in weight. 
 Never strangle them, so as to leave the blood in. The 
 best plan is to tie all kinds of birds to a line drawn 
 from post to post, or tree to tree, and stick them just 
 in the forward end of the neck. 
 
 " Tou may pick all sorts of birds dry, If you don't 
 tear the skin ; but you must scald them afterwards by 
 dipping them suddenly in and out of boiling water. 
 Don't scald the legs too much, whether you pick first 
 or afterwards. Be careful of that. You must pick 
 them clean, and the after- scalding makes them look 
 plump and good. 
 
 "Never draw a bird. It is worth while to pay 
 freight on intestines, because meat cannot be kept 
 sweet long after they are drawn and the air admitted 
 inside of the body.\ 
 
 "It is a practice of some of the best poultry-men, 
 after the birds are plucked to plunge them suddenly 
 into boiling water, and then immediately into cold 
 water. This gives them a clean, plump appearance, 
 and makes them look fat if they are in decently good 
 condition when killed. Nothing, however, can make a 
 
48 KILLING POULTRY. 
 
 poor bird look well, while ill dressing will make the 
 best look poor. 
 
 " Lay the birds on clean boards in a cold room till 
 perfectly cool, but not frozen; as at all times, but 
 especially when there is a probability of damp close 
 weather, great care must be taken that the animal 
 heat is out of them; and then pack in boxes with 
 clean rye and oat straw so that they must not touch 
 each other, about three or four hundred pounds in a 
 box, filled full ; mark the contents on a paper inside, 
 and on the lid outside, and direct it to your commis- 
 sion merchant plainly, and send it by the express, and 
 the invoice by mail. 
 
 " Never kill your birds on a damp day, nor pack 
 them if you can avoid it, except in a clear, dry, cold 
 atmosphere. And try to avoid night work when you 
 are tired and your help sleepy, and all of you careless. 
 
 "No matter how light your boxes are, they must 
 look clean, or your poultry will not sell at first prices. 
 In packing, press the wings close, and press the bird 
 down hard on the breast, the legs extending back, and 
 fill each course full, and then lay on straw and another 
 course of birds. Nail tight, but don't let a nail 
 project inwards to tear the bird. 
 
 " Give your name and residence in full on the bill in 
 the box and on the invoice by mail. 
 
 "Never pack in barrels if you can get good dry- 
 goods boxes, as the rolling of barrels injures tlje 
 poultry. Well-packed boxes of well-prepared birds 
 will keep sweet for a long time in cool weather, and 
 may be transported by express or by rail, and arriv-, 
 
PRESERVING EGGS. 49 
 
 ing in good order can be sold readily at the highest 
 prices." 
 
 We trust that these remarks may enable our friends 
 to secure a good market for their poultry, and cultivate 
 'a branch of trade to material profit and advantage. 
 
 The late M. Soyer states the best way of killing 
 poultry is to take the bird by the neck, placing the 
 thumb of the right hand just at the back of the head, 
 closing the head in your hand, your left hand holding 
 the bird ; then press your thumb down hard and pull 
 the head and neck contrariwise, the neck will break 
 instantaneously, and the bird will be quite dead in a 
 few seconds; then hang it for a short time by the 
 legs for the blood to flow into the head, which renders 
 the flesh much whiter. "In France (he adds) we 
 usually kill them by cutting the throat close to the 
 head. Both methods are good with regard to the 
 whiteness of the flesh ; but I prefer th© English 
 method, not being so barbarous." 
 
 PRESERVING EGGS, 
 
 M. Jacque, a very good authority, for in no other 
 country than France are eggs more largely consumed, 
 observes that eggs exposed to the open air and the 
 variations of temperature lose by evaporation part of 
 the water they contain; the void resulting from this 
 loss is supplied by air, which penetrates the shell ; the 
 air-chamber at the large end increases in size, the in- 
 ternal parts from contact with air absorb it, change 
 in smell and taste, and, according to circumstances. 
 
50 PRESERVING EGGS. 
 
 sooner or later arrive at a state of putrid fermentation. 
 The heat of summer, changeable weather, incubation 
 of barren eggs, interrupted incubation of those that 
 are fertile, are the causes that generally bring about 
 these alterations. 
 
 It is easy to perceive the signs that mark freshness, 
 staleness, or alteration in an egg when it is broken. 
 The dimensions of the air-chamber and the smell are 
 signs that leave no room for doubt. But when eggs are 
 whole it requires practice to distinguish fresh from stale. 
 
 The following characteristics belong to a fresh egg : — 
 
 First, A rosy yellowish look, and freedom from 
 slightly green livid shades. 
 
 Second, If it has great translucency, which can be 
 discovered on examination, by putting the egg between 
 both hands, forming a hollow circle and placing the 
 egg between the eye and the light, or, better still, 
 putting it on a sheet of white paper at some dis- 
 tance from a very light window, and examining it in 
 different positions throilgh a paper rolled like a tele- 
 scope and blackened inside. If, in this examination, 
 nothing opaque or cloudy can be seen in it, if the air- 
 chamber is not perceptible, or if it is only seen as a 
 small tip or end, the egg may be presumed to be fresh. 
 
 Third, A new-laid egg shaken lengthways gives 
 neither rattle nor perceptible internal displacement. 
 Stale ones are lighter, and on shaking a shock is felt 
 against the shell. 
 
 Fourth, By the salt-water test. Procure an egg 
 recently laid but quite cold ; then in a vessel equal in 
 depth to four or five times the length of the egg, put 
 
PRESERVING EGGS. 51 
 
 water in which salt has been melted until the new-laid 
 egg, being laid gently on the surface of the water, falls 
 slowly to the bottom. It will easily be understood this 
 salted liquid will serve to separate the fresh from the 
 stale eggs, since the new-laid, and, consequently, full 
 ones will reach the bottom of the vessel at once by 
 virtue of the relation existing between their weight and 
 their bulk; while the stale, containing more air, and 
 being, consequently, lighter, will either remain on or 
 near the surface, or will have greater difficulty in 
 reaching the bottom. 
 
 When a new-laid egg is put into a quantity of boil- 
 ing water representing twelve times its own bulk, it 
 cracks and lets out part of its contents. This little 
 accident, which is caused by the fulness of the egg and 
 the sudden expansion of its internal parts, does not 
 occur where there is less water, because the tem- 
 perature is lowered by the introduction of the egg. 
 Under any circumstances stale ones do not crack, 
 because they contain a larger air-cell which yields to 
 pressure, and then escapes through the shell. The 
 peculiar smell of eggs boiled hard, or decomposed by 
 putrefaction, is due to a combination of sulphur (sul- 
 phureted hydrogen), which, among other properties, 
 has that of blackening silver utensils. 
 
 From what has preceded, it will appear that the pre- 
 servation of eggs consists in employing proper means 
 to preserve them from evaporation, from the introduc- 
 tion of air, and from the variations of temperature, 
 which may cause putrefaction. 
 
 We have tried the different means proposed by the 
 
52 PRESERVING EGGS. 
 
 authors vsrho have preceded us in this endeavour. We 
 have tried those of Reaumur of which we have spoken. 
 We have also tried gum water and alum water. These 
 means which are intended to prevent the introduction 
 of air into the egg are good, but they do not last long 
 enough. Dry or powdered lime or chalk, ashes that 
 have not been used for laundry purposes, barley or oat 
 hulls, communicate an unpleasant taste to the egg. 
 ChAlk water preserves eggs for some months, but this 
 also gives a bad flavour. They spoil as soon as they 
 are taken out of this preparation : they must, there- 
 fore, be left in it till they are wanted for use. Water 
 strongly impregnated with kitchen salt causes the 
 liquid of the egg to imbibe it, hardens the yolk, and 
 feiiders it unfit for many culinary uses. Another plan 
 is to cook eggs in boiling water the day they are laid, 
 aiid just as much as if they were to be eaten boiled — 
 that is to say, the albumen should be milky and 
 slightly set. Every one knows three minutes will 
 aiccomplish this if they are put in boiling water. This 
 degree of cooking renders the eggs fit for all domestic 
 uses, and to prevent mistake, sand-glasses have been 
 made of perfect accuracy. When they are taken out 
 of the water they should be marked so that they may 
 be sold or used according to the time when they were 
 preserved, and they should be kept in a cool dry place. 
 By this proceeding they may be kept about three 
 rdbnths, after which the inner membrane of the shell 
 becomes thicker, and this denotes the beginning of a 
 change. To eat as boiled eggs for breakfast, it is only 
 necessary to warm them. 
 
PRESERVING EGGS — DIFFERENT BREEDS. 53 
 
 Eggs boiled haxd soon after they are laid may be kept 
 two months, and are convenient food for travellers. If 
 after they are boiled they are covered with paste made 
 with clay, ashes, or marine salt, they may be kept for 
 two years at least. 
 
 A method peculiar to ourselves, and which has 
 appeared to us the most certain and most convenient, 
 is to have large boxes or barrels thoroughly lined in- 
 side with paper. These are put in a cool but dry place. 
 A layer of fine white salt an inch thick should cover 
 the bottom. New-laid eggs should be laid side by side 
 on this salt, and all vacant spots or places should be 
 carefully filled with it. Successive layers of eggs and 
 salt fill the box, which is then very tightly screwed 
 down, and paper pasted over the joints. Fine white 
 salt is preferable to marine salt, this latter often has 
 an unpleasant odour which it communicates to the egg. 
 
 On the 1st of August, 1849, we opened a case of six 
 hundred eggs, preserved in September, November, and 
 December, 1848 — ^that is to say, eleven months after 
 they were put away ; although they no longer possessed 
 the delicate flavour of a new-laid egg, they were well- 
 kept, and well-tasted — good enough for any domestic 
 use. The evaporation of liquids was hardly perceptible 
 in the air -chamber ; but the white was rather more Hquid 
 than in a fresher-laid egg. — (Jacque's Le PoulaiUer.) 
 
 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 Ancona. — ^A variety of the Spanish, differing only 
 in having the plumage mottled black and white, 
 Partridge-coloured specimens are not uncommon. 
 
54 DIPFEEENT BREEDS. 
 
 Andalusian. — A large variety of the Spanish, with 
 hlackish slate-coloured plumage. Cock, comb erect, 
 large, evenly toothed ; cheek white ; legs bluish ; 
 feathers bluish grey, each slightly margined with a 
 darker tint; hackles glossy, black, falling evenly on 
 each side of the breast; tail full, carried very up- 
 rightly, with sickle feathers well arched ; average 
 weight, 7 lbs. The hen has the same colours, but a 
 comb pendent on one side. Average weight, bi lbs. 
 Two pullets and three hens have averaged 120 eggs 
 each in the year. Chickens feather early, and are 
 hardy. Hens seldom sit, but are good mothers when 
 they do. Their dark-coloured legs are their only draw- 
 back as a table fowl. 
 
 Bakies, same as Creepers. 
 
 Bantams may be thus classified : — Sebrights, Gold- 
 laced, Silver-laced; White, Black, Game, Nankin, 
 Partridge, Booted. A general description of form 
 may be applicable to all these. Beak curved, and 
 short in proportion to the bird ; head narrow ; fore- 
 head rounded; eye bright; back short; breast very 
 prominent; carriage unusually erect, the back of the 
 neck and the taU feathers being almost in contact; 
 body round and full ; legs short and clean ; wings 
 depressed, except in the Game varieties. 
 
 In respect of weight, likevrise, a common remark 
 may here suffice. Seventeen ounces for the male and 
 fourteen for the female bird was the common standard 
 when Bantams, as was the case some few years since, 
 received almost exclusively the attention of amateurs, 
 now shared by many other varieties. The evils of this 
 
COLD L A C F_ D B (^ Pi T A M 5 
 
 r w fi LLCf^, urn . IS. f^ATTQ M vAoor/v 
 
^:'^<K <^'>-> 
 
 SILVtR LAC EL' BANTAMS 
 
 r W ALL£.R,LITH. I&,H F^rroN OAFtDEN. 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 55 
 
 course, however, became so apparent in the quality of 
 the progeny, that we are spealcing within bounds when 
 an extension of three ounces to each sex is advised. 
 If perfect birds below these weights are produced, to 
 them let the honours be still assigned ; but fault should 
 not be found with specimens thus in excess of what 
 has formerly been considered their proper limits. 
 
 Of the Sebrights it is expected that every feather 
 should be delicately and evenly laced with black on a 
 clear yellow ground for the Golden, and a silvery white 
 for the other variety; the tail is sometimes described 
 as "tipped" with black, and many prize birds would 
 be thus rightly described; but we hold that "lacing," 
 even in the tail feathers, should be the breeder's aim, 
 for we have seen this portion of their plumage exhibi t 
 equal perfection in this description of marking with 
 that on any other part of their body, and such is 
 evidently more in unison with the required features of 
 the bird. Any running out of colour shown by a 
 spotted body or clouded tail disquaKfies at once; the 
 legs to be slate- coloured; comb double, minute in the 
 hens. The cock's tail feathers to be rounded at their 
 extremities ; nor should he show either the hackle or 
 saddle feathers of his sex. 
 
 One of our best judges furnished us with the follow- 
 ing epitome of a Sebright Bantam's essential points : — 
 The comb must be firm on the head, straight, with 
 numerous points, and the pike behind turning upwards. 
 If either of these fail it is a grave fault. The bird 
 must have neither hackle nor saddle; the feathers 
 must be accurately and evenly laced, showiiig a dark 
 
56 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 edging to each ; if they are spangled instead of laced, 
 reject the bird; the legs must be blue, the wings 
 drooping, and the tail of the cocks and hens alike. 
 There must be no sickle or streamer-feathers. 
 
 The White Bantam should be a bird of great sym- 
 metry of form, and not to exceed the Sebright weight ; 
 we certainly prefer the rose comb and sickle tail, with 
 bill and legs, as in the White Dorking, of a pale flesh 
 colour. Feather-legged White specimens should be 
 shown in the Booted class. 
 
 Black Bantams now muster strongly at our exhibi- 
 tions. They must be uniformly black ; for the brassy- 
 winged birds, and those with golden hackle, have no 
 business in this class, although they might appear 
 among the "Red-breasted" and "Duckwing Game" 
 of their family. The ear-lobe of the Black Bantam 
 ought to be well developed, and of a clear white ; tail 
 as in the White; legs dark slate; comb a full deep- 
 coloured rose in the cock, and small and purple in the 
 hen; the mngs need not droop as required in the 
 Sebrights. 
 
 The Cfam£ Bantams combine symmetry of form and 
 brilliancy of feather to an extent rarely witnessed in 
 other divisions of a poultry show. 
 
 The Black-breasted and Buchwing birds of this class 
 are fac-similies of what we should look for in the mark- 
 ings of their corresponding colours among the Game 
 fowls. 
 
 Much diversity of taste exists as to the colour of leg 
 desirable in Game Bantams, but no colour is impera- 
 tively required. We have seen first prizes given to 
 
5LA CK B A N T A M-S 
 
 r WALLCI^, UTfi. IB,HA.rrON GAFiasn 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 57 
 
 birds having yellow legs, as well as to birds having 
 blue and willow legs. The cock and hens in the same 
 pen at an exhibition must, of course, have legs all of 
 the same colour. 
 
 The Naukin, or common Yellow Bantam, is probably 
 the nearest approach to the original type of the family 
 — the " Bankiva fowl." The male has a large propor- 
 tion of red and dark chestnut on the body, with a full 
 black tail ; while the hen is a pale orange yellow, with 
 a tail tipped with black, and the hackle lightly pen- 
 cilled with the same colour. Combs vary, but the rose 
 is decidedly preferable. True bred specimens of these 
 birds being by no means common, considerable devia- 
 tions from the above description may consequently be 
 expected in birds passing under this appellation. 
 
 The Partridge Bantam exceeds the other varieties in 
 size. Cock's hackle yellowish brown ; saddle feathers 
 lightly streaked with black ; tail ample and black ; back 
 and wing coverts partridge-coloured; primary wing 
 feathers bay, but dusky at their extremities; under 
 parts of the body dark drab. Hen's hackle yellow, 
 lightly marked with black; breast and under part of 
 the body drab, the rest partridge-coloured ; legs light 
 grey ; combs rose. 
 
 Booted Bantams are of various colours, and their 
 usual size is in excess of the weights already given. 
 The Creepers and Jumpers, the Chinese or Tartarian 
 Bantam, with some others, occasionally appear in the 
 class for any other variety, where other relative claims 
 for superiority must rest on neatness of figure, and 
 regularity and condition of feather, a more particular 
 
58 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 statement of required points being, in this instance, 
 impracticable within our allotted limits. 
 
 The Spangled Bantam is so rarely seen in perfect 
 feather, that we need say no more than that they 
 should occupy the same position with regard to the 
 Spangled Hamburghs as the Game Bantams do to the 
 Game fowl proper. 
 
 The Pied or Pik Qame Bantam are not commonly 
 occurring. The cock has a creamy plumage with 
 ginger hackle and saddle feathers. The hen is entirely 
 of a cream colour. 
 
 The Japanese Bantam is usually known as the Silky 
 Fowl, under which name we have noticed this variety. 
 
 No breed is so liable to produce unfertile or " poor 
 eggs" as the Bantam. They usually lay four or five 
 per week during about seven months of the year. June 
 is the best hatching month, as the chicks are tender. 
 The hens are excellent mothers. 
 
 Bankiva. — A fowl native of Java. The cock is very 
 like a Black-breasted Bed Game cock. It is more 
 usually called the Jungle Fowl of India, and some- 
 times it is spoken of as the Java Fowl. It seems to 
 have been the parent of the Bantam, than which it is 
 but little larger. It has a black sickle-feathered tail, 
 and pale yellow legs. 
 
 Barn-door Fowl. — A mongrel race, compounded by 
 chance, usually of the Dorking, Game, and Polish. 
 
 Brahma Pootra. — We are of unshaken opinion that 
 this is only a variety of the Shanghae or Cochin-China. 
 Its plumage is white, variously marked with black; 
 and we think that it ought to be called " The Black- 
 
BRAMA'H' PpOT R A, 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 59 
 
 speckled Cocllin- China." When it has a pea comb we 
 are of opinion that it has been crossed with the Malay. 
 
 Although such are our convictions, many good 
 authorities differ from us, and we therefore add the 
 characteristics which judges consider this variety 
 should possess. Our notes upon the habits and qua- 
 lities of Cochin-China fowls apply entirely to the 
 Brahma Pootra. 
 
 Light Brahma Pootras should have a white plumage, 
 with black flights and tails ; and the hens should have 
 black-striped hackles. In good specimens the under 
 plumage should be dark. The cocks are not marked 
 exactly in the same way. There is not the same dis- 
 tinctness of colour; the hackle, saddle, and tail are 
 clouded; and the breast often somewhat spotted — this 
 latter is not desirable. The Dark hens should be pen- 
 cilled all over the body with distinct grey markings, 
 closer, but like those on the feather of the Silver cock 
 Pheasant ; hackle white. The cocks should have dark 
 tails, breasts, and thighs, light hackle and saddle ; the 
 breast should be spotted vrith white. In both colours 
 the legs should be yellow and well feathered to the toes. 
 They may have either single combs, barely medium 
 size, and well serrated, or pea combs. These latter are 
 like three compressed into one ; that in the centre 
 being higher than the others. The serrations of each 
 should be plainly seen. 
 
 Our portraits are of birds the property of J. Hinton, 
 Esq., Hinton, near Bath. 
 
 Brazilian. — This looks like a bearded Malay. Plu- 
 inage very dark ; legs unfeathered, yellow ; comb pea- 
 
60 
 
 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 shaped ; eggs mahogany colour ; weight of cock about 
 7 lbs. ; of hen, 5 lbs. 
 
 Breda. — There are three varieties of this breed, and 
 they are known in Holland, where they are especially 
 esteemed, as the " Fowl with the Crow's beak," with 
 the prefix either Black, White, or Cuckoo. They are 
 of superior form and size ; body very erect ; a very 
 small tuft of feathers on the head ; comb very cupped ; 
 neck thick; breast large and wide; vulture-hocked; 
 
 shank of legs feathered. Weight of cock about 8 lbs. ; 
 of hen, about 6 lbs. The look of the bird is very 
 peculiar, caused by the comb being a hollow instead of 
 a projection; and giving the cock the appearance 
 of a dubbed Game cock, and contrasting strikingly 
 with the unusually long wattles. Cheeks and ear- 
 lobes red. 
 The plumage of the Black variety is beautiful, the 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 61 
 
 black is as intense as that of the East Indian Duck, 
 and with a similarly bronzy lustre. The character- 
 istics, except as to colour of plumage, are the same for 
 the White and the Cuckoo varieties. 
 
 The Cuckoo yariety is also known on the continent 
 as the " Gueldres Fowl." 
 
 Their flesh is firm, abundant, and excellent, and they 
 readily fatten. Their eggs weigh 3 ozs. M. Jacque 
 thinks that the Black and Cuckoo varieties were em- 
 ployed to obtain the Black and Cuckoo strains of the 
 Cochin-China. 
 
 Bruges. — Colour slaty blue; legs dark blue; comb 
 small; no topknot; eggs white and large. "Weight of 
 cock, 6ilbs. ; of hen, 5flbs. 
 
 Chittagong. — Probably a cross between the Malay 
 
62 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 and Dorking. Usually white, marked variously with 
 black, yeUow, and brown; legs usually white, but often 
 yellow. They are large fowls, yery common in the Cal- 
 cutta bazaars. 
 
 Cochin-China. — Buff. — Plumage : Cock's hackle, 
 back, saddle and lesser wing coverts, clear golden chest- 
 nut; breast, under part of the body, and primaries, 
 buiF; tail, if not orange, at least a richly-bronzed black, 
 short,' and expanded more laterally than in other fowls. 
 Hen as clear a buff as -the cock's breast, the tail and 
 portions of the primaries alone excepted; the less black, 
 however, even here, by far the better. The" primaries, 
 as in the cock, should be marked, if at all, merely on 
 the upper side of the web, so that when the wing is 
 closed such stains do not appear. The perfectly clear 
 hackle is generally preferred ; but light " pencilling," 
 if not amounting to " clouding," on a limited portion 
 of it adjoining the shoulder, is not objectionable. Fluff 
 to be of good quality and abundant ; in the hen, especi- 
 ally, it should so cover the tail feathers as to give the 
 appearance of a very short back, the line taking an 
 upward direction from within an inch or so of the 
 point of junction with the hackle. 
 
 Form : Head fine and well arched, the comb being 
 erect, evenly serrated, and wholly free from reduplica^- 
 tions and sprigs; in the hen minute; the face, wattles, 
 and double ear-lobe, brilliant in colour — the last-named 
 feature to be fully developed, even in the he];is ; body 
 broad and deep ; legs short, stout, heavily feathered to 
 the toe, and, like the bill, of a clear yellow, although 
 beneath the scales, in the cocks particularly, a pinkish 
 
BUFF SHANCHAE 
 
 F WALLER UTli. 18. HATTON C A Fi D E 'i 
 
PAhTRIDCE SHANC3HAE 
 
 F.tlHLEH.L,T'< /..«/irr«* C;l«q£V. 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 63 
 
 tinge appears. The form should be alike in all the 
 varieties; and the same may be said in respect of weight. 
 The adult prize cock not to be under 9 lbs., nor the hen 
 below 7 lbs. 
 
 Lemon. — A yellow, or rather a canary tint ; lighter 
 than the above in both sexes. 
 
 Cinnamon {Dark). — Cock deep golden, inclining to 
 red; hackle, back, and saddle, on a dark claret or 
 plum-coloured ground; tail black. The hens hav 
 been well described as being of the colour of wetted 
 cinnamon. 
 
 Cinnamon [Light). — Both sexes a rich cream-colour, 
 with cinnamon hackle, as also the saddle of the cock, 
 whose wings are marked with the same tint. 
 
 Partridge. — Plumage : Cock a black-breaSted red bird. 
 Hen pencilled with black on a buff ground throughout, 
 the darker markings prevailing; the pencilling not 
 parallel, as in the Hamburghs, but rather following 
 the outline of the feather. 
 
 Chouse. — The hens darker than the foregoing, less of 
 the ground colour being visible ; the markings also are 
 less distinct, closer, and rather to be described as a 
 grizzle. Cock a dark, mottle-breasted red bird. 
 
 White. — Plumage uniform in both sexes. 
 
 Black. — Plumage uniformly black in both sexes. Of 
 these, however, we have hardly ever seen a pen of adult 
 birds in "perfect" feather, the cocks being almost in- 
 variably stained with red or copper feathers. 
 
 Grey, alias Brahma Pootras. — Uncertainty of origin 
 seems to be here demonstrated by great uncertainty of 
 both plumage and features. Of the birds erroneously, 
 
64 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 as we most assuredly think, denominated "Brahma 
 Pootras " — understanding that term to depend on their 
 specific distinction from the Shanghae — there are two 
 sorts ; first, a dark-pencilled bird on a cream-coloured 
 ground; and secondly, a light-bodied bird, with 
 dark-striped hackle and tail, these last being far more 
 striking in their appearance. 
 
 Combs must here be described as various, running 
 from the single formation through gradations of a Malay 
 character to the triple-folded or pea comb. Under any 
 circumstances uniformity in the pen must be required. 
 
 OucJcoo Cochin- China exist, but their present obscurity 
 best befits them, since in form, not less than feather, 
 they are manifestly of inferior quality. The ^ma, or 
 iSilk Cochin-CMna, with the web of its feathers disunited 
 as in the Silk Fowl, is not uncommon, but has no 
 feature beyond this peculiarity to call for remark. 
 They have been bred from the ordinary Buff Shanghae. 
 
 Disqualifications for a Cochin- China Fowl. — Legs of 
 any other colour than yellow. In the Partridge, Grouse, 
 and Black birds, however, this statement should be 
 qualified, since, in the two former, a slight wash as if 
 of indigo appears to be thrown over them, which in the 
 Black birds assumes a still darker tone ; yellow, how- 
 ever, should appear partially even here beneath the 
 scales, as the pink tinge does in the Buff and "White 
 birds. 
 
 Mis-shapen combs cannot be passed over. 
 
 The Grouse and Partridge birds with light breasts 
 should be disqualified, as also Buff and Cinnamon birds 
 with a mealy character of feather. 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 65 
 
 One of our best Buff strains constantly produces cocks 
 with more or less white in the larger tail feathers; this, 
 although not to be considered as a disqualification, is 
 yet, unquestionably, an objection. 
 
 Dai-k Cinnamon cocks are not unfrequently shown 
 with Partridge hens ; but any misarrangement of this 
 kind is, of course, fatal to the chance of the pen. 
 
 Cochin-Chinas are the best of all fowls for keeping in 
 a limited space; for even if they have a widely extended 
 run, they never wander far from the roost-house. They 
 are among the best egg-producers ; the pullets lay when 
 five months old, and lay throughout the year, except 
 when requiring to sit, which they do twice or thrice in 
 the year. The pullets are good table birds, but the 
 cockerels have too little breast meat. Weight of egg 
 2iozs. ; colour of shell buff, more or less dark. The 
 hens are excellent sitters and mothers. Best hatching 
 time, April. The chickens are hardy, although they 
 feather slowly; those which are cockerels show their 
 flight feathers earliest; at four months we have known 
 them weigh full 4lbs. We have had many pullets hatch, 
 lay again, and sit with the chickens of the first brood 
 around them. 
 
 Columbian. — This seems a bird of American origin, 
 and a cross between the Malay and Spanish. Plumage 
 black, glossy; comb sometimes large and erect, and 
 sometimes a pea comb ; carriage erect, like the Malay ; 
 cheeks rather tufted ; legs dark grey ; tail of cock well 
 arched ; eggs very large. 
 
 Crow Fowl. — We believe the same as the Columbian. 
 
 Creepers resemble the Dorkings in everything but 
 
66 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 extreme shortness of legs ; these are only 2 inches long 
 from the hock to the heel; comb single ; body round, 
 plump; tail ample, and in the cocks well sickled; 
 plumage white, variously marked with black; eggs 
 average size ; hens good layers and good sitters. 
 Weight of cock averaging 6J- lbs. ; of hen, 5j lbs. 
 They seem to be of Scotch origin, and are described 
 by a good judge as "hardy, a good variety, and well 
 adapted for the table." This must not be considered 
 synonymous with the Ooq vain, Dwarf Fowl and 
 L'Acaho of Madagascar, for that is only a very dimi- 
 nutive Bantam. The true Creepers of Scotland are now 
 very rarely met with. Gamekeepers in the north 
 preferred the hens to those of any other breed for 
 hatching and rearing Pheasants. 
 
 Crbvb Cceur. — This variety derives its name from a 
 town so called in Normandy. For the following notes 
 on this variety we are chiefly indebted to M. Jacques, 
 "LePoulailler:" — 
 
 "■^ Proportions and General Characteristics. — Volumi- 
 nous body, squarely built, short, well seated on solid 
 legs; back almost horizontal, and slanting but little 
 towards the tail ; pectorals, thighs, legs, and wings well 
 developed; short limbs; very large head; topknot, 
 whiskers and beard ; double comb, shaped like horns ; 
 wattles long and hanging down; ear-lobes short and 
 hidden ; four toes on each foot ; feathers of the abdo- 
 men long and thick ; large feathers of the wing ordi- 
 nary length ; sickles and large sickles very long ; the 
 plumage of the finest specimens quite black — in ordi- 
 nary ones, partly white and partly yellow." 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 67 
 
 Deportment. — Grave and proud. 
 
 Weight. — For an adult, from 6^ lbs. to 8 lbs. 
 
 Flesh. — Very abundant. 
 
 Bones. — Very light, less than an eighth of the weight 
 of the bird. 
 
 We leave out some comparative statements, as we 
 have to do only with one breed. To follow literally, 
 would not be more useful in gaining information, than 
 to be told by .a person whose age we asked, that he 
 was just twenty-two months younger than his brother 
 Tom, the latter individual being unknown to us. To 
 continue : 
 
 Topknot. — ^Well furnished, voluminous, heavy lancet 
 feathers falling all round the head in the best speci- 
 mens. Crown feathers erect, save some that fall 
 forward. 
 
 Whiskers. — Very thick. 
 
 Beard. — Long, ample, and falling below the wattles. 
 
 Comb. — Variable, but always forming two horns. 
 
 Morns. — Sometimes parallel, straight, and fleshy; 
 
 COMB— HORNS. 
 
 sometimes joined at the base, slightly uneven, pointed 
 and divided at the top ; sometimes uniting to these last 
 
68 
 
 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 appearances interior ramifications which give them the 
 likeness of the horns of a young stag. 
 
 Physiognomy of the Head. — Not unlike that of the 
 Houdan ; the eyes are almost always hidden under the 
 
 feathers of the topknot. The comb, when it is shaped 
 like horns, gives to the face of a Creve Coeur the 
 appearance of a satyr. 
 Plumage. — Entirely black, relieved by bronzed 
 
DIFEERENT BREEDS. 69 
 
 • 
 
 bluish or greenisli reflections on the hackles, the 
 saddle, the wings, the tail-coverts, the large and 
 smaller sickle -feathers. The rest of the plumage is 
 of a dead black, except that of the abdomen, which 
 is a brown black. The topknot generally becomes 
 white at the back after two or three moultings. 
 Many specimens hare a good mixture of straw-coloured 
 feathers ; they are not less pure, and they breed black 
 chickens, but they are less esteemed by amateurs. 
 
 Hens. — Well-shaped square body, well defined, and 
 being in some respects like Cochin-Chinas, both in 
 bulk and appearance ; ample size, though low on the 
 legs ; large head; varying topknot, black in a pullet, 
 whitish in a hen after the second moult ; bearded ; ear- 
 lobes short and hidden; comb and wattles short. 
 
 Appearance. — Grave and heavy. 
 
 Average Layers of very large eggs. 
 
 Non-sitters. 
 
 Food for this Breed. — Egg paste the first eight days. 
 Barley-meal paste* to the end of two months. Then 
 feed on grain all those fowls intended for breeders ; 
 the others are fed on the paste till they are fattened. 
 This is the way they are managed in Normandy. 
 
 * Grind or rather crash barley, to produce a flonr in which every part of 
 the grain is presezred. Pat in a pail a qaantity of water or skimmed milk, 
 according to the quantity of the paste required. Experience will soon teach 
 the necessary proportions. Throw in handfols of meal, aud mix with the 
 haad tUl all is thoroughly wetted. Throw in more meal and manipulate 
 again, so that there shall not he a dry morsel. Continue thus till a thick paste 
 is formed. Thrust your hand through the paste, and turn it inside out. Keep 
 on till it is £rm, then roll it out, and powder the surface with a little dry meal. 
 In an hour or two, it is .dry enough to break ; it can then be given to the 
 fowls. They are fond of it. In Normandy, it is always made the day before 
 it is required. It acquires a slightly fermented flavour, which makes it more 
 relishing. 
 
70 DIFFEKENT BREEDS. 
 
 * 
 
 The Chickens are hardy and grow fast. They are good 
 table birds in every respect except having black legs. 
 
 Dorkings, Coloured. — Grey, including Spangled; 
 Speckled ; Red ; Cuckoo. 
 
 The colour of the Dorking fowl must have a wide 
 range, and might almost be termed immaterial, pro- 
 vided a coarse, mealy appearance be avoided, and the 
 pen is well matched. 
 
 In the Q-rey birds the cocks are either black or 
 speckled-breasted, with the hackle and saddle varying 
 from white to a deep straw colour ; back, wing coverts 
 and primaries the same, intermixed with darker shades. 
 The hens of the deeper-toned grey are best placed with 
 the darker-hackled male birds, while the light ash- 
 brown, the slate-coloured, and the silver hens are fit 
 companions for the others. The "Spangled" cock has 
 hackle and saddle tipped with dark brown or black ; 
 the back and lesser wing coverts rich maroon, with the 
 greater wing coverts forming a hlue band, as in the 
 Duckwinged Game fowl : this speculum appears to 
 advantage in the Grey cocks also. 
 
 The Speckled cocks should have a black and white 
 mottled breast; the hackle, back, and saddle, red 
 intermixed with white, the former colour prevailing. 
 The hens to be deep chocolate, or brown speckled with 
 white. A perfectly black tail has the best effect in 
 both this and the Grey variety; but the presence of 
 white should not be regarded as prejudicial. 
 
 The Bed cock should be a perfect black-breasted 
 red bird, with hens of a dark brown, spotted with 
 black. Here white is nowhere admissible. 
 
DORKING 
 
 f. WAIL£R,LITH. tS,HA7rON CARDtN. 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 71 
 
 Silver-G-reys. — The Silver- Grey, if properly bred, 
 will never become grey on the breast. It is quite true 
 that where they are thrown out in indiscriminate 
 breeding, as is not unfrequent, no dependance can be 
 placed upon them ; and it is more than probable on 
 the second moult that coloured feathers may and will 
 appear both on the breast, back, and wings. Many 
 such birds are shown in the Silver class as chickens 
 that never can again compete in the same class. This 
 arises from want of sufficient care in the selection of 
 stock birds for crosses. It may be that a bird may 
 have himself all the characteristics of purity of blood, 
 but may probably be an offshoot from an indiscriminate 
 yard. 
 
 The comb should be large and well defined, deeply 
 and distinctly serrated, not projecting unduly into the 
 beak, and perfectly upright ; with breast and tail straw- 
 coloured or whitish ; back and hackle with certain well- 
 defined markings on the wings. The hens should be 
 pure silver-grey, as free from brown on the wings as 
 may be; the breast salmon colour, not, as is too 
 frequently the case in winning pens, one hen, or some- 
 times both, nearer approaching a brownish-white ; the 
 fifth claw separate and distinct, well defined, of suffi- 
 cient size, and well formed. 
 
 The Cuchoo birds, both male and female, to be barred 
 throughout vrith a dull bluish grey on a lighter ground 
 of the same hue, similar to the breast of the bird 
 whence the name has originated. 
 
 General Characteristics of Excellence. — Great compact- 
 ness, with great depth and length of the body ; low on 
 
72 
 
 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 The poultry 
 
 the leg ; legs white, with a pale pint hue between the 
 scales ; the indispensable fifth toe being well developed 
 apart from the others, as shown in this 
 drawing by M. Jacque; head to be 
 free from coarseness ; comb whether 
 rose, single, or cupped, to be perfect 
 of its kind, and uniform in the 
 pen. We believe we 
 are quite justified 
 in asserting that all 
 combs are correct 
 for Dorking fowls. 
 Our best judges are of that opinion, 
 world has its fancies nevertheless. The single is pre- 
 ferred in Grey, the double in White, and the cup is 
 disliked in all. In our opinion the comb is quite a 
 
 secondary point ; and if we 
 got large size, square shape, 
 clean legs, good claws, and 
 good carriage, we should 
 care little for comb; but 
 whilst we say this we con- 
 fess to a preference for the 
 single comb, and accept 
 this model also from M. 
 Jacque. 
 
 In respect of size, great 
 
 improvement having been 
 
 effected in this particular, 
 
 and forming, most justly, an important property in 
 
 this breed, less than 8 lbs. in the adult male, and 
 
WHITL DORK ING . 
 
 J!_7T-:J \ CAf^^C N . 
 

 > 
 
 a: 
 
 CO 
 
 en 
 
 > 
 
DIFFERENT BKEEDS. 73 
 
 7 lbs. in the female bird, should not be deemed worthy 
 of a first prize ; and chickens of eight months old 
 should be little short of this. These weights are fre- 
 quently much exceeded, and bulk must be always a 
 material object with the Dorking breeder. 
 
 Great latitude, we have observed, must be accorded 
 in respect of plumage of the coloured Dorking; so 
 generally, indeed, is this admitted, that the assertion, 
 "You cannot breed Dorkings true to colour," has 
 almost acquired proverbial authority. 
 
 The White Dorking must have plumage uniformly 
 'white, though, in the older birds, the hackle and 
 saddle may attain a light golden tint. Form and size, 
 reduced proportions of the coloured Dorking; some 
 judges prefer a rose comb to the single form ; bill and 
 legs light and clear, without discoloration of any kind. 
 
 The Dorking is a wide-ranging bird ; no fence lower 
 than 7 feet vnll keep them within bounds. They re- 
 quire more care when young than most fowls, and we 
 believe that of no breed is there a greater mortality 
 among the chickens annually, and that no more than 
 two-thirds of a brood usually survive the fourth week 
 of their life. The average weight of the egg is 2| ozs. 
 
 Duck. — Ducks are capable of a more certain classi- 
 fication as to breeds than Geese, the distinction of the 
 Aylesbury, the Rouen, the Black East Indian, the Bra- 
 zilian, the Call Buck, and the Common Buck of the 
 farmyard, being readily observable. 
 
 The Aylesbury must have its plumage of a spotless 
 white, the biU pale flesh colour, and the legs orange. 
 Bills that are stained, or are of any other colour than 
 
74 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 what has been described above, must at once disqualify. 
 The birds must be heavy from flesh, not from fat. A 
 first-prize Drake should weigh 9 lbs., and a Duck [full 
 8lbs. ; necks long and small; body long, and broad 
 across the shoulders. 
 
 In the Rouen breed the plumage of the Wild Duck 
 in its relative sexes must be produced. Streaks of 
 white on the face, pale breasts, or the presence of 
 white feathers on any part of its body are fatal ob- 
 jections. Mr. Fowler, of Prebendal Farm, Aylesbury, 
 so favourably known as a poultiy exhibitor, has 
 published the following characteristics of excellence' 
 in this variety : — 
 
 " Drake, a yellowish green bill, without any other 
 colour, except the black bean at the tip ; long, broad, 
 and rather wider at the tip than at the base. Head, 
 lustrous, green, and purple ; distinct white ring round 
 the neck, not quite meeting at the back ; rich brown or 
 claret breast, reaching low down to the water line. 
 Back, dark green ; body, soft grey, almost white near 
 the tail ; tail, dark green, and curls firm and black ; 
 wings, brownish, with broad ribbon mark of purple 
 and white ; white flight feathers are a fatal defect ; 
 legs, orange, or brown and orange; weight about 8 lbs. 
 
 " Duck — brown pencilling on a greyish body ; the 
 back, blackish green marks on light brown ; ribbon 
 mark and other colour of wings nearly like the Drake ; 
 towards the tail the feathers well pencilled, quite to 
 the tip. Head marked with three dark longitudinal 
 stripes from the bill past the eye ; neck without the 
 least appearance of a white ring. Bill, broad, long, 
 
,,^lgteMt-i->'"«j^_- 
 
 ROUtN DUCK & DRAKE 
 
 r WAIL£R,II7HI. /S,HfiTTaN Gf{RDfN 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 75 
 
 and somewhat flat, brownish orange, with a dark blotch 
 on the upper part. A slate-coloured bill, or an absence 
 of orange, is a sure disqualification ; legs, brown and 
 orange. Weight of first-class birds, 7 lbs." — {^Blair's 
 " Henwife."^ 
 
 The colours of the Brazilian, Muscovy, or Musk 
 Duck, are in great variety. Beyond great bulk, how- 
 ever, these birds have little to recommend them ; and 
 the Birmingham Committee have exercised sound dis- 
 cretion in depriving them of their special class; and 
 requiring their appearance in that for any other variety. 
 Whatever their plumage, they should be carefully 
 matched, and should exhibit the very marked pecu- 
 liarities of their race in the corrugated bunch of red 
 flesh on the upper mandible, their skinny face, and the 
 crest elevated or depressed at pleasure at the back of 
 the head. The body is elongated, the legs being dis- 
 proportionally short. 
 
 The Qall Ducks are either brown or white. In form 
 they stand, in reference to other domesticated Ducks, 
 as the Tumbler does to other Pigeons, being peculiarly 
 round and compact. This resemblance is also con- 
 tinued to the " stop " at the forehead, in marked 
 distinction to the general form of that feature in the 
 Duck tribe. 
 
 The Brown birds should exhibit the plumage of the 
 Wild Duck, a deep rich purple tint being thrown over 
 the whole plumage. The White variety have bright 
 yellow bills. 
 
 We might as reasonably be called upon to give the 
 points of the Barn-door fowl in all its phases of 
 
76 DIFFBBENT BREEDS. 
 
 mongrelism as to specify the characteristics of the 
 "common farmyard Duck." But whatever its pedi- 
 gree, it is, as already observed, clearly distinguishable 
 from the varieties already spoken of. Believing that 
 for every economical purpose the pure strains have the 
 advantage, we must not, however, refuse commendation 
 to many pens of merit that have been exhibited in this 
 class; for, beyond doubt, great weights are attainable 
 by the cross-breeding of different varieties, giving us 
 good "birds for the table, though, for obvious reasons, 
 to be rejected as breeding stock. 
 
 Besides those enumerated there are four inferior 
 kinds — viz., the Penguin Buck; the HooTc-lilled Duck; 
 and the Topknotted. 
 
 Of the Rouen Buck the egg weighs from SJ ozs. to 
 3^ ozs. ; shell blue green and thick ; they are very dull 
 inactive birds ; they care less for swimming in water 
 than the other kinds. They begin laying in January, 
 and from that time usually only during spring; but 
 Ducks hatched in March will often lay in the autumn 
 of the same year, and continue laying for two or three 
 months. The Duck is not a good brooder of her duck- 
 lings. They are yellowish brown when first hatched, 
 with a dark line above the eye along the face. 
 
 The Aylesbury Buck is a good layer ; one has been 
 known to produce 150 eggs within the year; colour 
 of sheU French white; shell thin; and weight fully 
 3 ozs. They are very silent. They are better sitters 
 than the Rouens. 
 
 €aU, Buck eggs are long, smooth, white, and weigh 
 only 1| oz. The birds are very small. Voice of the 
 
--^^ssW 
 
 BLACK LAST JNDiAiN, DUCKS 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 11 
 
 Duck very clear and loud, but the Drake's a low 
 whistle. 
 
 Black East Indian Ducks, sometimes called the 
 Bmnos Ayrean, and even the Labrador, are black, with 
 a green metallic lustre on the feathers; any brown 
 or white feathers disqualify; even the Drake rarely 
 attains to a weight of 5 lbs., and the Duck is 1 lb. less. 
 They often pair, and so does the Musk Duck, and this 
 accounts for the complaint of unfertile eggs when two 
 or more Ducks are placed with a single Drake. Eggs 
 often smeared over with a slaty-coloured matter, but 
 the egg-shell is really a dull white; they are thin- 
 shelled, and weigh about 2 ozs. 
 
 3Iusk Buck. — The Drake often weighs 9 lbs. or 
 10 lbs., but the Duck never exceeds 5 lbs. or 6 lbs. 
 The bunch of red, warty flesh near the bill, and the 
 crest raised or depressed at pleasure, are striking 
 characteristics. They often rest on a waU, or branches 
 of a low tree. The Drake has a harsh, croaking note ; 
 but the Duck is rather silent. Eggs dull white; weight 
 about 3 ozs. 
 
 The Cayuga Black Duck. — This bird derives its name 
 from the lake in America on which it is supposed to 
 have been first discovered. 
 
 " Of the origin of the Cayuga Duck," says Mr. 
 Page, "I cannot give anything reliable. This Duck 
 has been bred in the county so long, that all positive 
 trace of the origin, so far as I can learn, is lost. Tra- 
 dition says they are descended from a sort of wild 
 Ducks that stop in Cayuga Lake and Seneca River, on 
 their passage north and south, fall and spring; yet 
 
78 
 
 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 from hunters I have never been able to obtain or hear 
 of any closely resembling them, either in weight or 
 feathers. Yet they are called the ' Big Black Duck,' 
 ' Cayuga,' or ' Lake Duck.' ■ The first I ever heard of 
 them was between twenty and thirty years ago. A 
 farmer near Montezuma, on Seneca River, had a flock 
 
 of Ducks bred from wild Ducks that he had caught, 
 and they were very large and fine. Another tradition 
 is, that they are a stock brought from one of the 
 Hudson River countieV- (probably those mentioned 
 by Dr. Bachman), " but the general belief is as above, 
 that they originated from a wild stock. 
 
 "The Black Cayuga Duck in perfection, is black 
 with a white collar or neck, or white flecks on neck 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 79 
 
 and breast — rarely black without white, and as the 
 white seems inclined to increase, we usually select 
 them nearly or quite black for breeding. The Duck 
 has a faint green tint on head, neck, and wings. The 
 Drakes usually show more white markings than Ducks, 
 and the green tint on head and neck is more strongly 
 marked. They differ from the East Indian and Buenos 
 Ayrean .Ducks very materially, are much larger, longer 
 in body, and shorter in leg, better feeders, but are 
 not so intense in colour; indeed, beside the East 
 Indian (and I have the latter) the Cayuga looks 
 brown. 
 
 " When well fed the Duck begins to lay upon the 
 1st of April, and usually gives an egg every day until 
 she has laid eighty or ninety, when she wUl make her 
 nest and sit if allowed ; if not, will generally lay again 
 in September. 
 
 " The Cayuga Duck is hardy, good size, and for the 
 table is superior to all other Ducks or poultry of any 
 sort ; flesh quite dark and high-flavoured. If well fed 
 they become very fat ; they can be readily made so fat 
 that they cannot step over a broomstick ; they cannot 
 raise themselves from the ground by their wings, a 
 foot-wide board keeping my Ducks from my little 
 trout pond. My flock last year weighed — Ducks, one 
 to three years old, 7 lbs. to 7^ lbs. each; Drakes, 
 9 lbs. ; Ducks, 8 lbs., or 17 lbs. the pair; yet these are 
 extreme weights, and only reached by careful feeding, 
 and in very small flocks; 12 lbs. to 14 lbs. the pair 
 would be a good average. I once had a small flock 
 that averaged at six months 16 lbs. the pair, but 
 
80 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 they had heen forced to their utmost, and never gained 
 weight after six months." 
 
 Another writer says — "The Cayuga Duck is very 
 quiet in its habits, cannot ^y, rarely able to rise from 
 the ground ; a fence a foot high will turn them ; not 
 disposed to wander from home ; commence laying about 
 the last of March ; lay fifty to ninety eggs, when they 
 wish to sit if everything is convenient ; sit well ; care- 
 less mothers ; cross readily with other Ducks, and pro- 
 duce is certain." 
 
 "One of my Ducks," continues Mr. Page, "showed 
 a disposition to nest early this year ; sat on fourteen 
 eggs ; hatched thirteen young, and bids fair to raise all 
 of them, as they are now (July) several weeks old, yet 
 the Duck and young ones are more often seen apart 
 than together." 
 
 Ducks of all kinds should be kept in a house separate 
 from other poultry, and with a brick floor, to admit of 
 frequent washing. Give them plenty of room. Boiled 
 roots, mixed with a little barleymeal, are good food for 
 them. Add a little milk when fattening them. Eleven 
 eggs for a large Duck, and nine for a small Duck, are 
 enough for them to sit upon. The eggs do not keep so 
 well as those of the common hen, so sit them on the 
 freshest. Make the nest on the ground, and in a damp 
 place. The Duck requires to be fed every morning and 
 evening whilst sitting. Let her have food and water 
 near to the nest. Boiled but cold oatmeal porridge is 
 the best food for ducklings until they are ten days old ; 
 afterwards barleymeal, oats, and pollard, with plenty 
 of green food. They are ready for table in eight or 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 81 
 
 ten weeks if well fed. Never give them hard spring 
 water, but water from a pond. They may be taken 
 away from the Duck when three days old if they have 
 a confined yard to be kept in, well supplied with water, 
 and a dry warm house to retire to, and if never allowed 
 to come out of that house before nine o'clock in the 
 morning. The tails of young ducklings need not be 
 clipped oif. 
 
 Ddmpies. See Creepers. 
 
 Emu Fowl. — This is only a silky-plumaged and 
 non-permanent variety of the Buff Cochin-China. 
 Mr. Baily had nineteen silky specimens among sixty 
 chickens. But the next season the same parents bred 
 only ordinarily-plumaged chickens. It was named the 
 Emu Fowl from some resemblance in its form and plu- 
 mage to those of the Australian bird of the same name. 
 
 Fleche Fowl. — La Fleche of the French. Firm, 
 strongly constituted body, standing proudly on long 
 and sinewy legs and feet, appearing less than it really 
 is, because the feathers are close; all the muscular 
 proportions well developed ; black plumage. 
 
 Of aU the French breeds the La Fleche cock is the 
 tallest ; in many respects he is like the Spanish, and, I 
 believe, he is originally the result of a cross between 
 the Spanish and Cr^ve Coeur.* Others, think this 
 breed comes from the Breda, and it must be admitted 
 they have many points in common. 
 
 Their Skin is white, fine, transparent, and soft ; meat 
 short, juicy, delicate, and very easily fattened. 
 
 * We are disposed to thinls it is more likely ta bfi the result of a cross, 
 between the Spanish and Malay. 
 
82 
 
 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 The Topknot is formed of a little bunch of feathers, 
 sometimes short and straight, sometimes rather longer 
 
 and drooping. It rises from the crown of the head 
 behind the comb. The comb is transversal and double. 
 It assumes the form of horns leaning to the front, 
 joined at the base, divided at top, sometimes smooth 
 
DIFFEUBNT BREEDS. 
 
 83 
 
 and pointed, sometimes ramified on the inner sides. A 
 very small comb, likewise double, springs from the 
 top of the nostrils, and 
 stands in front of them. 
 Although not much larger 
 than a pea, this combling, 
 which surmounts a small 
 rising formed by the nos- 
 trils, contributes much 
 to the remarkable and 
 unique aspect of the head. 
 The Wattles should be 
 very long and pendent. 
 
 The Ear-lohes should 
 be very large and meet 
 under the neck; they 
 
 should be of a dead white, especially at the breeding 
 season. Of all the breeds that possess the white ear, 
 this has the largest except the Spanish. The tuft of 
 small feathers that covers the ear itself should be black. 
 The Nostrils are very open and unique in their form ; 
 they form, at their insertion, the rise from which 
 springs the combling. The beak should be very strong, 
 slightly curved, of a dull grey colour, 
 and yellowish at the end. 
 
 Physiognomy of the Head. — The 
 La Fl^che has a physiognomy pecu- 
 liar to itself, and which is principally 
 caused by the prominent monticule 
 which forms his nostrils, and which is 
 surmounted by the small comb. The prominence of 
 
84 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 the comb seems to increase the characteristic de- 
 pression of the beak, and gives some likeness to a 
 rhinoceros. The comb, divided into homs, suggests 
 the Creve Coeur, and the large white deaf ear the 
 Spanish. 
 
 Qolour of the ie^^s.— Slate blue, lighter or darker 
 according to age, turning to a deeper leaden grey as 
 the birds get older. 
 
 Weight of the Fowls. — They may be eaten towards 
 the age of five months ; but, generally, they are not 
 fattened till they are from seven to eight months 
 old, when they are arrived at their full growth. The 
 male is then called a virgin cock, and when his treat- 
 ment, which should last a month or six weeks, is 
 finished he will weigh 8 lbs., sometimes rather more. 
 A virgin cock not fattened will, at eight months, 
 give from 6 lbs. to 7 lbs. The weight of the flesh 
 naturally varies according to fatness. If in a normal 
 state the bones form an eighth of the entire weight, 
 they form a much smaller proportion when the bird 
 is fattened. 
 
 Plumage. — Entirely black, excepting some small 
 white feathers that are sometimes to be found in the 
 crest that is on the head. The neck-feathers are long, 
 fine, and ample, with green or violet lustre on them ; 
 so are the wing and tail-coverts, all others are black, 
 except those of the belly, which have a greyish tinge. 
 Among the flight-feathers, which should be of a violet 
 black green shaded, some white ones may often be 
 found till after the first moult. 
 
 The Hen.— Rather smaller than the cock of the 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 85 
 
 same breed. Firm and consequential carriage, eye 
 lively and bold. Round upright body, supported by 
 strong sinewy legs of moderate growth ; great muscular 
 development; flesh abundant and fine; large head; 
 
 ample beUy-feathers, but close, not fluffy; plumage 
 black. 
 
 Mead. — ^Long and large, having all the characteristics 
 of the cock, but of smaller proportions. 
 
86 DIEFEEENT BREEDS. 
 
 Comb. — ^With very small horns, but apparent from 
 heir projecting forwards. 
 
 Deaf -ears. — White and very apparent from the 
 decided contrast of colour and their large size. 
 
 Nostrils. — Like the cock. 
 
 Beak. — Strong and long. 
 
 Physiognomy of the Mead. — Very fine and intelKgent, 
 similar in many respects to that of the cock. The 
 comb shaped like horns, causes it to be called in many 
 parts of the country " the Horned Hen." 
 
 Good and early layer, of remarkably large eggs. 
 
 Does not sit. 
 
 Gf-eneral Considerations on the Breed. — The thorough- 
 bred La Fl^che, or Horned Fowl, is peculiar to the 
 country of Maine ; its type has always remained pure 
 there, especially round La Fleche, where the mode of 
 feeding seems to agree with it. 
 
 M. Letrove, to whom I owe part of the information 
 which has served for these notes, thinks their origin 
 is unknown. 
 
 "Their renown," says he, "may be said to date from 
 the fifteenth century, according to the testimony of 
 some old historians. I, nevertheless, think their origin 
 still more ancient." It was at " Le Mans " that the 
 beautiful and primitive Poulardes were made, then at 
 Meseray, then at La Fleche. These products were 
 known at different places under different names. The 
 trade has long ceased at Le Mans, it is falling off at 
 Meseray, and has only maintained its vigour at La 
 Fleche and the surrounding country. 
 
 These fowls, so fit for fattening, are very robust, and 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 87 
 
 seldom ailing. They acclimatise easily, and preserve 
 their purity, provided promiscuity is avoided — that is 
 to say, that fresh blood should be now and then in- 
 troduced. They will take to any kind of food after 
 they are grown up; but when young care should be 
 taken to feed with food analogous to that they have 
 in their native place. When reared at liberty they 
 do not wander if they have grass at hand. 
 
 This breed of La Fleche may be classed as one of 
 the two or three best French breeds. Although its 
 plumage is uniformly black, it is extremely rich on 
 account of its brilliancy, and of its fine green and 
 violet tints. The bright red comb and wattles and the 
 large white deaf-ear form as good a contrast with the 
 black plumage as in a Spanish fowl. 
 
 The fine grain, the delicacy, and the peculiar taste 
 of the flesh are very perceptible when the fowls are 
 lean, and still more developed by fattening, to which 
 cocks and pullets are alike subjected at the age of seven 
 or eight months. 
 
 The ordinary food of these birds consists, in their 
 own country, of three meals per day of wheat in the 
 husk. It is necessary to limit the quantity as they are 
 voracious, and at certain times would become too fat. 
 After the peculiar and necessary food of the first week 
 or two, and during the six first months, hens and 
 chickens should be fed on paste made with bran and 
 meal. The older they get the more the bran may be 
 increased and the meal diminished. 
 
 Frizzled. — They ought to be white-feathered, each 
 feather curved back so as to seem ruffled ; legs bluish 
 
88 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 and unfeathered. They weigh about 4j lbs. Hardy ; 
 good layers and mothers ; eggs about 2i ozs. ; small, 
 but good for table. 
 
 Dr. Livingstone seems to have discovered in the 
 interior of Africa the native country of this variety, 
 if not of the Dumpies. He says : — 
 
 " Near Massangano I observed what seemed to be 
 an effort of nature to furnish a variety of domestic 
 fowls, more capable than the common kind of bearing 
 the heat of the sun. This was a hen and chickens, 
 with all their feathers curled upwards ; thus giving 
 shade to the body without increasing the heat. They 
 are here named ' kisafu ' by the native population, 
 who pay a high price for them when they wish to 
 offer them as a sacrifice, and by the Portuguese they 
 are termed ' arripiada,' or shivering. There seems to 
 be a tendency in nature to afford varieties adapted to 
 the convenience of man. A kind of very short-legged 
 fowl among the Boers was obtained, in consequence 
 of observing that such were more easily caught for 
 transportation, in their frequent removals irl search of 
 pasture." 
 
 Game. — Blach-breasted. — Plumage, Oock : hackle 
 and saddle from Hght chestnut to orange red; back, 
 deeper shades of the same; breast, tail (Which ia 
 ample), and under part of the body, black ; greater 
 wing-coverts steel blue; primaries bay. The pre- 
 sence of white in the tail feathers is highly objection- 
 able, though not held as an absolute disqualification. 
 Hen very light brown, with a rosy tint on the breast ; 
 tail black. Feathers, in both sexes, very hard and firm. 
 
GAME 
 
 r Yi/ALLia.L'rh . 18, HArroN caroi:n . 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 69 
 
 Form : cock's head long, but fine ; bill curved and 
 strong ; combs single, and with face and wattles bright 
 red; eye large and brilliant; breast well developed; 
 back short, and broad between the shoulders, but 
 tapering to the tail; thigh muscular, but short in 
 comparison with the shank ; spur low ; foot flat, with 
 powerful claws ; carriage erect, denoting extreme con- 
 fidence. 
 
 The figure of the hen should exhibit the general 
 features described above on a reduced scale, the comb 
 being small and fine, and with the face and wattles of 
 a somewhat less intense colour. Colour of the leg, in 
 both sexes, white, yellow, olive, or blue, but always 
 uniform in the pen. The " Derby Red " to be white- 
 legged. "We state this in accordance with the judgment 
 of good authorities, but others equally good say : — 
 " That for a Black Red Game fowl the best coloured 
 leg is a willow. There is only one rule of Colour, and 
 that is, that all the fowls composing a pen shall have 
 legs of the same hue. It is as true of a Pile as of any 
 other colour, but we think a yellow leg looks well on a 
 light Pile. Blue is quite as correct." Figure, in both 
 sexes, to combine symmetry, power, and activity, with 
 the closest possible feathering. 
 
 Other "Beds." — Male birds with streaked or mottled 
 breasts, with hens of a dusky hue, marked with more 
 or less of dull yellow on the hackle and wing. Colour, 
 in both sexes, of less brilliancy than in the Black- 
 breasted birds. Comb of the hen dark. 
 
 Figure and size in these, and those following, to be 
 as in the Black-breasted. 
 
90 DIFFERENT BEEBDS. 
 
 Duchwings. — Cock's breast black, or mottled^ the 
 former being decidedly preferable; hackle and saddle, 
 from white to straw colour ; back and shoulders a light^ 
 but rich brown or maroon; tail black; greater wing 
 coverts steel blue, forming a wide bar. Hen silver 
 grey, light in hackle, with a reddish tinge on the, 
 breast. 
 
 I^iles. — Markings irregular, the ground colour being 
 always white, splashed with chestnut and red of various 
 shades. These colours are usually much fainter in the 
 hens. 
 
 Blacks. — Uniform in colour. 
 
 Brassy-winged. — Black, with yellow on the lesser wing 
 coverts. The Furness breed black, with rich golden 
 saddle feathers ; this variety now very uncommon. 
 
 The Blues and Buns of various shades of these colours, 
 often with orange or yellow markings on the hackle,' 
 saddle, and wing. 
 
 White. — Uniform colour, and to have white legs. 
 
 Birchen Yellow. — Cock's hackle, back, and saddle 
 dark straw, lightly marked with black; full black tail;, 
 breast cream-coloured, lightly mottled with reddish 
 brown; wing coverts and primaries the same, but 
 tipped with chocolate. Hen greyish brown, with ir-, 
 regular dark markings of a deeper tone of the same 
 colour ; hackle and breast, with the shaft and margin 
 of the feathers, of a dull white. 
 
 Tasselled and Larh-crested were varieties admired by 
 some old fanciers, but they have been generally dis- 
 liked. 
 
 Besides those already enumerated there are doubtless 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 91 
 
 Game fowls of pure blood with plumage that prevents 
 their being placed under any of the above heads. 
 Colours and markings must, indeed, be permitted to 
 have a somewhat wide range in these birds : and figure, 
 with courage, may be appealed to in evidence of their 
 purity, though called in question on the former account. 
 
 Thus there are " Cuckoo-marked " Game fowls, for 
 which a pure ancestry is claimed, though they seldom 
 appear to advantage ; and we have seen good-looking 
 black and white-mottled birds where the former colour 
 took the place of the red or yellow in the "Piles." 
 Very possibly, too, other additions to the list may be 
 required; but those now described comprise all the 
 generally-recognised sub-varieties . 
 
 A heavy Cinnamon breed is not uncommon, with the 
 cocks hen-tailed, which is a most objectionable form, 
 and a very bad substitute for the ample sickled tail 
 that harmonises so well with the figure and carriage of 
 the breed. 
 
 The best weight of a Game cock, 4 lbs. 10 ozs. ; of 
 hen, 4 lbs. Eggs fawn colour, average weight 2^ ozs., 
 and one usually laid every second day. The hen is a 
 very excellent sitter, and still more superior mother. 
 The chickens are very quarrelsome. They are the best 
 flavoured of all the table fowls. They cannot be kept 
 in a confined space. 
 
 Bubhing or cutting off the comb of the Game cock is 
 best done with a very sharp pair of scissors when he is 
 six months old. To save the bird from excessive loss 
 of blood his wattles are usually cut off a week later. 
 Cut the comb quite close to the scalp. 
 
92 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 We agree with Mr. Hewitt in considering that being 
 Duck-footed should disqualify a Game fowl for prize- 
 taking. He justly observes that " a bird thus faulty, 
 more particularly where the malformation exists in hotli 
 feet, if closely and quickly pressed when fighting, in- 
 variably falls backwards, having no support from the 
 back toe— a position highly favourable to his antagonist, 
 and a most critical moment for himself. I may add, 
 that a cock only partially 'Duck-footed,' if greatly 
 excited and exhausted, becomes even more so as weak- 
 ness steals on. 
 
 " The plain outline shows the foot as it should be, 
 the dotted one the defect known as ' Duck-footed,' or 
 ' Duck-heeled.' Of course it is iiot intended to repre- 
 sent two toes, but the same single toe in the two dif- 
 ferent positions, ' right and vnrong.' " 
 
 Go Laighs. See Creepers. 
 
 Goose. — Weight is an all-important feature in the 
 prize Goose, and the principle of uniformity of plumage 
 has here been acted on with greater latitude than in 
 
'TSU^^ 
 
 TOULOUSL CLCSL 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 93 
 
 the case of fowls. Considering, however, that a combi- 
 nation of all points of merit should be aimed at in every 
 branch of our poultry exhibitions, we welcome with 
 much satisfaction the Birmingham rule which divides 
 the previously common class for Geese into two, one for 
 Grey and Mottled, the other for White. This should 
 determine the question, and henceforward uniformity 
 of plumage should be insisted on with these birds. 
 
 The Goose should be low on the leg, with the fullest 
 development of breast, the distinctions of their several 
 varieties being duly preserved ; the number of pounds 
 at which they weigh down the scale "wiU then determine 
 the Judge's awards. 
 
 Among the Qrey Geese the Toulouse deservedly stand 
 first, the clear orange red of their bills, of the orbit of 
 the eye, and of their legs, and the peculiar flatness of 
 the forehead, constituting distinctive points which 
 readily separate them from the common specimens of 
 this colour found in our farmyards. Their superiority 
 in respect to shape is another characteristic of this 
 valuable variety. Deep tones of rich brown should 
 form the plumage of the prize birds of this race, white 
 being only found on the under part of the body, the 
 tail coverts, and the extremities of the tail feathers. 
 
 The White Geese are not, in our opinion, divisible 
 into any distinct races, those termed Ernhden and Im- 
 proved Irish being simply the produce of birds carefully 
 selected on account of size. To this statement one 
 exception may, perhaps, be taken as to the peculiar 
 blue of the iris in the Embden, which is observable in 
 the young goslings, and continues ever afterwards. 
 
94 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 The Mottled and Saddle-hacked birds that have of 
 late been exhibited being, in very many instances, the 
 result of crosses between the White and Toulouse, 
 have attained great weight. Presuming, however, form 
 and weight to be equal, we should give the preference 
 over these to the Grey or White. 
 
 The China Goose is a rare claimant of honours at our 
 exhibitions, and is certainly specifically distinct from 
 all the foregoing. They are found in at least three 
 sub-varieties — Red-legged and Black-legged, Brown, and 
 White. The plumage of the first two should be shades 
 of brown, their characteristics being a dark stripe of 
 the same colour down the back of the neck, the dark 
 knob at the base of the upper mandible, and the folded 
 skin beneath the throat. The White China have the 
 bill and feet a clear yellow. 
 
 Looking to the weights that have constantly been 
 attained of late, adult Geese should be required at not 
 less than 16 lbs. for the Gander, and 12 lbs. for the 
 Goose ; nor should goslings fall much below this esti- 
 mate. This is a low estimate for the White and Mottled, 
 though a fair average for the pure-bred Toulouse. We 
 speak of store, not fatted condition. 
 
 When selected for exhibition and brought there in 
 high condition they often double the above weights. 
 The first-prize Ganders at the Birmingham Show 
 always weigh 30 lbs., and have been known to weigh 
 33 lbs. A first-prize Goose there weighs from 20 lbs. 
 to 25 lbs. Goslings, of these selected flocks, when 
 ready for a Michaelmas dinner, often weigh 20 lbs., and 
 even more. 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 95 
 
 When Geese are exhibited under a year old the task 
 of deciding on their relative sexes is one of extreme 
 difficulty, and it would be better that the schedule 
 should merely require three birds, without stipulating 
 for sexes. 
 
 For breeding, not more than three Geese to one 
 Gander must be kept, and their breeding powers con- 
 tinue undiminished until more than twenty years old. 
 They require a wide range, affording plenty of grass 
 and still water. The goose-house for the four should 
 not be less than 8 feet long by 6 feet wide, and high 
 enough for a man to stand in upright. A smooth floor 
 of brick and good ventilation are necessary. Over the 
 floor a little clean straw should be spread every second 
 day, after removing that previously used, and washing 
 down the floor. A compartment about 2^ feet square 
 should be assigned to each Goose for laying and sitting, 
 and when one is hatching the Gander and other Geese 
 must be shut out from her. Wherever a Goose lays 
 her first egg she is very pertinacious in there deposit- 
 ing the remainder. 
 
 The Toulouse Goose is a very good layer, but rarely 
 requires to sit, and, if she does, is a very bad mother. 
 Where laying Geese are kept together, and they are 
 liable to interrupt each other, remove the eggs daily, 
 and mark on each the day it was laid. They will con- 
 tinue good for three weeks ; but the freshest eggs 
 should be sat upon. If the Geese keep well to their 
 separate nests let the eggs remain. March and early 
 April is the best period for goslings to be hatched in. 
 In February, or early in March, therefore, the Geese 
 
96 DIFFERENT BREEDS, 
 
 should commence sitting ; for the period of incubation 
 is from thirty to thirty- five days. Goslings hatched 
 after April, and at any time in summer, are reared 
 with great difficulty. Thirteen eggs are quite enough 
 for the largest Goose to sit upon. Food and water 
 should be placed close to her, for she sits very closely. 
 It is best for her to come from her nest daily, and 
 take a bath in some neighbouring pond. The moisture 
 of her breast feathers evidently is favourable to the 
 eggs hatching, so that when they are placed under a 
 common hen or other domestic fowl these eggs should 
 be sprinkled with water every second day. When 
 hatching has commenced do not in any way interfere, 
 for more harm results than benefit; both Goose and 
 goslings are strong enough to take care of themselves. 
 On the second day after hatching put a turf before the 
 goslings ; and a little boiled oatmeal, boiled rice, bread 
 crumbs, and pond water are their best supplies for the 
 first week. Put the water into a shallow dish, with 
 means for them to get in and out easily. When a 
 fortnight old they can shift for themselves if allowed to 
 go abroad with their mother, and not until then must 
 they be allowed to frequent the pond. They require 
 extra feeding, however, and this may be the same as 
 given to other fowls. The only dangers they require 
 to be sheltered from are heavy rains and a damp floor. 
 During five days of the first fortnight the Goose may 
 be put under a crate or large coop on grass. 
 
 When put up for fattening from six to ten thrive 
 better than if only two or three are confined for the 
 purpose. For the first fortnight give them oats and 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 97 
 
 water mixed together, and afterwards barleymeal, made 
 of a crumbling consistency with water. They should 
 be in a dark house, and kept quite quiet. They should 
 be allowed to bathe in a pond for a few hours before 
 being killed. They are then plucked more easUy, and 
 the feathers are more serviceable. 
 
 Guinea Fowl ok Gallina. — They pair, therefore an 
 equal number of each sex must be kept. It is the hen 
 only which utters the peculiar cry of " Come back." 
 The note of the cock bird is a kind of wail. To obtain 
 a stock of them some eggs should be hatched in the 
 yard where they are wished to remain. To buy full- 
 grown birds is almost hopeless ; for when turned down 
 they depart, apparently in search of their old home. 
 They should be fed regularly at stated times. They 
 return at those times punctually, and if one of the 
 feedings is in the evening, they then roost at home. 
 Their roost should be high from the ground. They 
 must be fed like other fowls, but in winter require more 
 animal food. The hen usually lays on a dry bank, and 
 if the eggs are taken from her nest never lays in it 
 again. They usually bring off very large broods — 
 twenty is not an unusual number. 
 
 Chicks of the Guinea fowl are so strong that they 
 require food soon after they are hatched, and should 
 have a constant supply by them until they are allowed 
 to be at liberty. Their troughs should be constantly 
 supplied, for th&j die if they are kept without food for 
 three or four hourg. Have the mother under a coop in 
 a warm corner of the gardem, and facing the south. 
 Egg boiled hard, chopped very fine, and mixed with 
 
 H 
 
98 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 oatmeal is their best food. At the end of six weeks, 
 if hatched under a Bantam or Game hen, they may be 
 allowed to range with her, and be fed at the same time 
 and on the same food as other chickens. May is the 
 best month for placing Guinea fowls' eggs under a hen. 
 Incubation requires from twenty-eight to thirty days. 
 
 Hamburghs. — Crolden-penoiUed. — Plumage : cock's 
 hackle, back, and saddle, bright orange red; breast 
 and under part of the body shades of light brown ; 
 tail ample, black, and well bronzed. Hen regularly 
 pencilled throughout on a yellow bay ground, the hackle 
 and under part of the body alone excepted, of which 
 the former should be perfectly clear, and of the same 
 light yellow bay, while the latter is of a still lighter 
 shade. 
 
 Form : the comb of the cock to be a full and firm 
 rose, well piked, and with the face and wattles bright 
 crimson ; ear-lobes clear white, firmly attached to the 
 head, and not pendent ; legs clean and blue ; carriage 
 erect and symmetrical, the breast being carried pro- 
 minently forward. 
 
 Silver-penciUed.-^Vlum&gei generally as in the above, 
 substituting a silrery white for the yellow bay of the 
 hen, and the orange-red and brown tints of the cock, 
 whose tail must be well silvered, but by no means 
 splashed with white. His lesser wing coverts are also 
 occasionally marked with yellow or chestnut. 
 
 Weight, it is true, does not enter into the considera- 
 tion of Hamburgh merits ; but still the cock should not 
 be less than 4i lbs., nor the hen than 3^ lbs. 
 
 Q-oUen-spangkd. — ^Plumage deep bay, more esteemed 
 
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DIFFEEENT BREEDS. 99 
 
 if inclined to a brilliant copper. Cock's hackle and 
 saddle to be preferred if spangled, but this is rarely 
 seen, and they are then best striped with black longi- 
 tudinally, the edge being clear. Red hackle and saddle 
 very objectionable. Breast and back with well-defined, 
 round spangles, the horseshoe form being less effective 
 and less perfect ; greater wing coverts laced very heavily 
 on the extremities, so as to form two parallel bars 
 across the wing; tail black and ample. The more 
 accurate spangling, often seen in the hen-tailed cock, 
 does not compensate for that defect in his plumage. 
 Hen spangled throughout except the hackle, which in 
 its markings resembles the cock's, and the lower part 
 of the body, which is of a dusky black. 
 
 Form : comb rose, and very largely developed, as also 
 the wattles, and with them and the face of an intense 
 crimson; ear-lobe full and white; general robustness 
 of figure and bold carriage ; legs blue and clean. 
 
 Weight in excess of the Pencilled birds, say not under 
 5 lbs. for the cock, or 4 lbs. for the hen. 
 
 Silver-spangled. — Plumage generally as in the above, 
 substituting a silvery white for the ground colour ; white 
 also appears in the tail, though black should decidedly 
 preponderate. 
 
 Form of somewhat slighter proportions than in the 
 Gold-spangled. 
 
 Blade. — Plumage uniform glossy black, other features 
 as before ; size superior to those of the Pencilled birds. 
 
 The while ear-lobe, being so characteristic a feature 
 in all the Hamburghs, becomes a most important feature 
 for influencing the decision of the Judge. 
 
100 
 
 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 Hamburghs do not bear confinement, and never thrive 
 unless they have a good run. For this nothing is so 
 ^God as a grass field. The hens, if not more than two 
 years old, a;re good layers throughout the year. Eggs 
 white, and not weighing more than 1^ oz. to If oz., 
 those of -the Golden-spangled %eing the largest. The 
 hens are linown to average as many as 240 eggs yearly, 
 and they seldom want to sit. The chickens should not 
 be hatdhed earlier than May ; but in Hampshire we 
 have known them do very weH with a Cochin-China 
 hen hatched at the beginming of March. They do not 
 afttain to their fuU beauty until three years old. They 
 are fit for tahle at six months old. 
 
 The Houdan Fowl. — PropgfUom and Gfemral Chu- 
 raderisiics. — Body rather round, compact, of ordinary 
 proportions, short-legged, and standing femly on strong 
 feet; pectorals, thighs, legs, 
 and wings well developed; 
 large head ; half topknot ; 
 "whiskers, beard, triple comb, 
 transversal; five toes on each 
 foot ; spotted or splashed plu- 
 mage, black, white, or yellow 
 white in the adult— in chickens, 
 black and white only. 
 
 An adult will weigh from 
 6 lbs. to 7 lbs. ; flesh abundant ; bones light, about an 
 eighth of the whole ■weight. 
 
 A chicken of this breed is put up "to fatten at four 
 months, and killed at four and a half months. If we 
 take away from the weight of the carcase, the liver. 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 101 
 
 gizzard, the flesh of the head, of the neck, and of the 
 feet, indeed all that constitute the giblets, which find 
 a ready sale, being considered delicacies by some 
 people, there will remain from 2^ lbs. to 3 lbs., of solid 
 compact meat. In this breed the bones of the chicken 
 may be calculated as being hardly an eighth part of the 
 body, while in butcher's meat they weigh a quarter. 
 
 Comb. — Triple, transversal, composed of two elon- 
 gated and rectangular flattened spirals, opening right 
 and left like the leaves of a book, notched on the sides, 
 and thick and fleshy. A third spiral springs up in the 
 middle of the preceding ones, taking the form of an 
 irregular strawberry, and the size of an elongated nut. 
 Another small spiral detached from the others, and the 
 size of a lentil, should appear above the beak between 
 the two nostrils. 
 
 The Wattles should be united to the comb by fleshy 
 parts which form the face, surround the corners of the 
 beak with apparent notches, and the eye with a naked lid. 
 
 The Ear-lobes short and hidden by whiskers. 
 
 The half Topknot thrown backward, and on the sides 
 a few pointed feathers turning at the points, but stick- 
 ing up in the air. 
 
 Face. — Naked, surrounded with whiskers formed of 
 short-pointed and up-turning feathers. 
 
 Beard. — Begins under the beak between the wattles, 
 joins the whiskers, and hangs down the neck ; wider at 
 the bottom than at the top. 
 
 Beah. — Strong and rather hooked, black at its inser- 
 tion, and yellowish at its extremity, depressed towards 
 the beard, and dropping considerably at the corners. 
 
102 
 
 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 Physiognomy of the Head. — Differing from many other 
 species by several remarkable features ; the head and 
 neck form rather an open angle, so that the drooping 
 beak is seen above it, and takes the appearance of a 
 nose. 
 
 Comb. — The square and flattened comb seems to be a 
 fleshy forehead, the cheeks (in England, face) are sur- 
 rounded with curling feathers which look like whiskers, 
 the drooping corners of the beak resemble a mouth, 
 and a cravat of feathers joined to the wattles simulates 
 a beard ; the topknot is like a rough head of hair, and 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 103 
 
 the entire face at once suggests the idea of that of a 
 
 man. 
 
 Colour of Legs. — In adults, a leaden grey ; in'chickens, 
 bluish and whitish grey, with rose-coloured spots. 
 
 Plumage. — It should invariably be composed of black, 
 white, and straw-colour ; those fowls that ' have any 
 mixture of red should be got rid of. 
 
 The plumage of the Houdan is of the variety called 
 splashed or curl-papered. It is irregularly composed 
 
 of feathers, sometimes black, sometimes white, some- 
 times black tipped with white, and sometimes white 
 tipped with black. 
 
 The Hen. — ^Body: well set, appearing almost as large 
 as that of the cock, firmly planted on strong legs ; 
 breast, thighs, legs, and wings well developed ; large 
 head; demi or whole topknot; whiskers and beard 
 
104 
 
 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 very distinct; rudimetitary comb and wattles; fire 
 claws on each foot ; feathers of the abdomen vei-y 
 fluffy, ample and pendant ; other feathers of ordinary 
 length ; spla&hed plumage, black and white with violet 
 and gteenish shades. 
 
 Physiognomy of the ffead.—Wken the topknot is very 
 developed, the hen is unable to see in front or on either 
 side; she can see only on the ground, because the 
 feathers cover not only the lid but the eye itself; this 
 
 gives the bird a nervous motion at every noise it hears. 
 It is only by close observation her eyes can be discovered 
 at all. — (Jacques.) 
 
 Java. See Bankiva. 
 
 Jerusalem. — ^Pliamage very like that of the Brahma 
 Pootra, or Grey Cochia-Ohina. Comb of hen erect, that 
 of the cock lapping over one eye ; when held erect shows 
 three furrows; legs pale blue, and unfeathered; figure 
 slight, but ^aoeful. Weight of cock and hen about 
 5i lbs, each. Eggs about 2 ozs., and shell yellowish. 
 
 Jumpers. -See Creepers. 
 
MALAY COCK 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 105 
 
 Jungle. See Bankiva. 
 
 Kaffir. Same as Negro. 
 
 LovELL, a small variety of the Buff-coloured Cochin - 
 China. • 
 
 Malay. — In this bird the plumage is varied in respect 
 of colour, good specimens being found of different 
 shades of red and deep chestnut in combination with 
 rich browns. There are also black and white sub- 
 varieties, in each of which the plumage should be 
 uniform. The hackle of the cock thin at the base of 
 the neck, which is of great length; tail black, of 
 medium size, and very drooping. Hen's plumage 
 varied; those of a very glossy, but clear brown or 
 chocolate to be shown with the red and chestnut cocks. 
 Feather to be hard and close in both sexes. 
 
 Form of the cock erect and tall ; head long, with a 
 stout, curved, yellow bill ; eye somewhat depressed, but 
 of great brilliancy; comb wart-like, and with face, 
 wattles (which are diminutive), and the skin beneath 
 the lower mandible intense crimson ; back falling rapidly 
 to the tail ; breast wide and deep ; thighs and shanks 
 (which are yellow) strong, though greatly elongated ; 
 foot large and powerful. 
 
 The hackle of the hen with the same peculiarity as 
 has been noticed in the cock, but her tail is less de- 
 pressed than his ; in her proportions and features 
 generally she should closely resemble the male bird. 
 
 There are sub- varieties of the Malay which are termed 
 " Rangoon " and " Chittagong " fowls, the former of 
 these being a pile bird, the latter grey, with dark mark- 
 ings. These last, however, are frequently open to thff 
 
106 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 charge of being cross-bred, by an intermixture, pro- 
 bably, of Dorking blood. 
 
 Weight : the adult cock should not be less than 8 lbs., 
 nor the hen than 7 lbs. This estimate, however, is often 
 greatly exceeded. 
 
 There is more difference in the appearance of various 
 specimens of this breed than in those of any other breed. 
 Some are so much more compact that the beauty of 
 their plumage almost compensates for their other dis- 
 advantages in form and cruelty of countenance. They 
 look, usually, the very brigands of poultrydom. Egg 
 about 2i ozs., its shell pale chocolate-coloured. They are 
 only moderate in merit as layers ; but they are good 
 sitters and mothers if they have roomy nests. Chickens 
 feather slowly, so none should be hatched after June. 
 
 MiNORCAS are Black Spanish with red faces, the 
 ear-lobe only being white, and differ in nothing else. 
 
 Negro. — A black variety of the Silk Fowl. See Silk. 
 
 Normandy. — These are somewhat like Spangled 
 Polands. Plumage black and white ; topknot small 
 and erect; cock's tail very long, and his comb and 
 wattles very large. The chickens are peculiarly 
 marked at first, having black backs and white breasts ; 
 their legs also are pied black and white, but become 
 blue when full grown. 
 
 Paduan. — Size and shape of medium Dorkings ; legs 
 short and white; cock's hackle and saddle feathers bright 
 orange; back and wings dark red; breast chestnut, 
 green iridescence on wings ; tail a rich greenish black ; 
 comb single. Hen's breast chestnut or fawn-coloured; 
 hackle golden, edged with brown ; back and wings brown 
 
BLACK ROLANDS WITH WHITE CRESTS 
 
 f \fi/ A LLtfil- L/rn . Ig. HA TWO l\/ G/i H n LN 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 107 
 
 in shades, each feather marked like those of the Par- 
 tridge. Excellent layers and sitters ; good table birds ; 
 eggs average size; shell dark cream-coloured. We 
 only know of them as being at the Rev. Mr. Holland's, 
 Poynings Rectory, Hurst Pierrepoint, Sussex. 
 
 Pea Fowl. — They may be fed like the Turkey. One 
 cock to three hens is a good proportion. They must 
 not be confined, but thrive best when allowed to perch 
 in trees. In winter they select evergreen trees, and on 
 the ground beneath the branches of one of these the 
 hen usually lays her eggs. These vary in number from 
 four to seven. Incubation occupies twenty-eight days. 
 The chicks are even more tender than those. of the 
 Guinea fowl. The hen, whether Pea or Turkey, should 
 be kept under the coop until they are six weeks old. 
 Then, if fine weather, they may range with her. 
 
 PoLANDS. — Black with White Topknots. — Plumage, in 
 both sexes, uniform glossy black, with the topknot 
 white, the feathers at the base of the tuft in front 
 alone excepted, which are black : the less of these the 
 better; but we have never seen a bird of this variety 
 honestly possessed of a wholly white topknot. The top- 
 knot of the cock to face regularly backwards, and par- 
 tially on the side, but not so much as to intercept the 
 sight ; that of the hen to be firm, globular, and even. 
 
 Form : comb of the cock minute, consisting of two 
 horns or spikes, which are still smaller in the hen; 
 wattles large, and brilliant in colour. Head concealed 
 in a great measure by the crest, but rounded on the 
 skull; eye prominent; body deep and full, the breast 
 being very protuberant; carriage erect and active. 
 
108 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 These last points refer to both sexes. Legs short, 
 clean, and of a dark slate colour. 
 
 Weight of the adult cock not less than 5 lbs., nor of 
 the hen than 4 lbs. 
 
 Crolden-spangled. — Feather : cock's hackle, back, and 
 saddle, a brilliant chestnut red; breast and thighs 
 spangled with black on a clear golden bay ; tail ample, 
 black, and richly bronzed; topknot of the same for- 
 mation as described above, and has usually an inter- 
 mixture of white, the more so as the birds advance in 
 age. A preference, we think, should be given to such 
 as are of the same uniform chestnut as the hackle. 
 The wing coverts laced at the side, but spangled at 
 the extremities, barring the wing. The beard is now 
 generally preferred, and is usually black, or closely 
 approaching thereto; an intermixture of bay would 
 harmonise better with the rest of the plumage, espe- 
 cially as wholly black topknots are now justly disliked. 
 Hen spangled throughout, except the topknot, which 
 should be laced, and the under part of the body, which 
 is dusky, as also in the cock. 
 
 Silver-spangled. — As the Golden, a silvery white 
 being substituted for the former ground colour; tail 
 black and white, that of the hen being evenly tipped 
 with the former colour. 
 
 White and Black. — Each uniform in feather. 
 YeUow laced with White. — ^The white lacing (for it 
 hardly amounts to spangling) to take the place of the 
 black spangling in the Gold birds. The hackle, back, 
 saddle, and wings of the cock yellow, with occasional 
 white feathers. 
 
GOLDEN S PAN C IJ_ [) \H ) ! A N D ! 
 
 -/-, >/-, /, „;; 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 109 
 
 Blue. — A race of questionable purity; plumage 
 uniform slaty blue, spangled with white. 
 
 Black and White-mottled. — Of dubious parentage, as 
 the preceding. Some of these are spangled, or rather 
 speckled throughout with black on a white ground; 
 while others, where an approach to the long-lost 
 "Black-crested White Poland" has been sought for, 
 are merely stained on the crest and hackle. No cross 
 between existing Polish Tarieties appears likely, al- 
 though some very close approximations occasionally 
 take place, to restore to us the Black- crested White 
 birds so generally and justly coveted ; but on the Con- 
 tinent we have every reason to believe they may yet 
 reward the persevering collector. 
 
 All the last-named birds, the Blue, Yellow, and 
 Mottled alone excepted, exceed, on an average, the 
 usual weight of the White-crested Black by almost a 
 pound in each sex. There are soriie other sub-varieties 
 of PoUsh, such as the Grey, or Grizzled, and the 
 Cuckoo, which, however, will hardly enter into com- 
 petition with the foregoing. 
 
 The Judge of a Polish class must satisfy himself 
 that no malformation exists in the back or hips of 
 these birds. Legs of any other colour than blue must 
 be considered as disfiguring. A coarse elongated comb 
 is very objectionable. The topknot being the great 
 characteristic of the Polish, any serious defect in this 
 feature must be considered fatal to the pen. 
 
 The white ear-lobe must be present in all the Polish 
 varieties. 
 
 They are very much injured "by wet and cold. On a 
 
110 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 wet soil they never succeed. They are good layers 
 during spring and summer, their average produce 
 being about 150 eggs. Weight of egg from 2 ozs. to 
 2i ozs., those of the Spangled varieties being the 
 heaviest; shell in colour white. They rarely sit, and 
 usually abandon the occupation after five or six days. 
 The chickens require great care to keep them from wet 
 and cold until they are six weeks old. 
 
 Ptarmigan. — These at first were also called "Grouse- 
 legged Polands." They are rather larger than Bantams, 
 pure white, with white topknots, or rather crests, for 
 these resemble somewhat that of a cockatoo's in dis- 
 order; legs well feathered, and vulture -hocked; combs 
 cupped ; cock's tail well sickled. They are very light 
 and agile in their movements, and are pretty ; but we 
 know of no other merits. They are very similar to the 
 Serai Taook, or Sultan Fowl. 
 
 RuMPLESS or RuMPKiN. — These are entirely without 
 any tail, and, indeed, without that peculiar lump 
 terminating the spine, from which the tail feathers 
 issue ; consequently the saddle feathers fall over behind 
 in unusual profuseness. Colour is here left an open 
 question, and the Judges must award prizes to those 
 birds which most excel in condition, size, and general 
 appearance. Moderate layers. Eggs average 2|^ ozs. 
 
 Russian. — A rough-looking fowl ; bufi'-coloured, but 
 sometimes white ; of the Malay form ; legs yellow and 
 imfeathered. Weight of cock, 6i lbs. ; of hen, 5|- lbs. 
 
 RANaooNS are merely pile-plumaged Malays. 
 
 Scotch Dumpies. See Creepers. 
 
 Shakebaq or Shackbag, — This seems to have been 
 
BLACK SPANISH 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. Ill 
 
 (for we know not where the breed now exists), a very- 
 large variety of Game fowl. They appear to have been 
 red in plumage; the cock to have weighed 10 lbs., and ' 
 even more. 
 
 Shanghae. See Cochin-China. 
 
 Siberian. See Russian. 
 
 Silk. — This breed has usually white plumage and 
 black skin ; the bones also are coated with a black pig- 
 ment. Feathers look like long silky hairs ; tail feathers 
 gauze-like, and usually very short, though sometimes 
 the cock has sickle feathers. Comb depressed like 
 that of the Malay, but sometimes like that of the 
 single-combed Dorking. Its colour, and that of the 
 wattles, dark crimson, but often becoming of a dead 
 leaden hue; face dusky; ear-lobe white, tinged with 
 bright blue; back crested; legs bright blue, and 
 heavily feathered. Their plumage is sometimes yeUow 
 mixed vrith white, and sometimes the skin is white. 
 
 They are very little larger than Bantams, though 
 their light plumage conceals their pigmy size. Cock 
 about 2 lbs. ; hen about li lb. Eggs If oz. ; those of 
 the white-plumaged tapering to one end, and buff- 
 coloured ; but those of the yellow variety round, and 
 white-shelled. Moderate layers, but excellent mothers. 
 Chickens easily reared if not hatched before April, nor 
 later than June. Their black skin and bones render 
 them unsightly table birds. 
 
 Spanish. — These are Black, White, and Blue, or 
 Andalusian. 
 
 Black. — Plumage, in both sexes, uniform glossy 
 black, reflecting rich green and purple tints; tail 
 
112 
 
 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 ample, well sickled in the cock, and square in the 
 hen. • 
 
 Form : comb of the cock single, 
 largely developed, serrated, and 
 erect; that of the hen large, but 
 pendant. 
 
 Cock's Comb. — There are two 
 sorts of falling combs one very- 
 thick at the base, and very large above. While the bird 
 is almost a chicken, this becomes sore about half an 
 inch from the base, the disease eats into the flesh till 
 the comb falls over by its own weight. It then heals, 
 and becomes firmly fixed down on the head. The other 
 comb has in front what is called a thumb mark, being 
 much such an indentation as would be made by the 
 thumb if pressed into any substance that would retain 
 the mark and form. This comb 
 becomes oblique, turns away 
 from the front of the head, 
 twists just over the beak, and 
 turns over behind. There is 
 no limit to the eccentricities 
 of shape these last assume, 
 and no bird having the thumb 
 mark should be bred from. 
 These thumb-marked birds 
 throw beautiful pullets. We 
 advise amoderate-sizedcomb, 
 thick at bottom, well over the nostril, and perfectly 
 upright. The serrations not too deep, and the points 
 blunt instead of sharp. A comb cannot be too red, 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 113 
 
 but we warn our readers against being led away by 
 tbat which is called a " fine texture " being a perfectly 
 smooth and even skin. This is sure to fall in a greater 
 or less degree ; while the good, strong, but not coarse 
 one, wiU not only keep upright itself, but will hand 
 down the merit to its offspring. 
 
 Sometimes there is a sprig on the side of the comb, 
 this should be cut off. It should be done with a razor, 
 or an instrument equally sharp. It should be cut 
 downwards from the top of the comb. If carefully 
 done, there is little or no scar left, and it is not, con- 
 sequently, a disqualification. 
 
 Face and ear-lobes, in both sexes, white, with the 
 wattles of unusual size, and of a brilliant scarlet. The 
 white face should always extend well around the eye, 
 and up to the point of junction with the comb, though 
 a line of short black feathers is there frequently seen 
 to intrude its undesired presence. It is certainly 
 objectionable, and the less of it the better ; but any 
 attempt to remove or to disguise this eyesore should 
 be followed by immediate disqualification. The white 
 face is not perfected till after the first year, especially 
 in the case of pullets. Although these birds, as com- 
 pared with the close-made Dorking, would be considered 
 tall, and of erect carriage, "legginess" is a fault that 
 breeders must be careful to avoid. The breast is pro- 
 minent, and the body narrows rapidly towards the tail. 
 Legs clean, and dark slate-coloured. 
 
 Weight of the adult cock not under 5J lbs., nor of 
 the hen less than 4i lbs. 
 
 A more compactly-formed black fowl, resembling 
 
 I 
 
114 DIEEEKENT BEEKDS. 
 
 the Spanish in its general features, but lacking the 
 white face, the ear-lobe only being of that- colour, and 
 exhibiting evem larger proportions of the comb, is 
 termed the Minorca in the West of England. Ancona, 
 another provincial tarm, is; applied to: the black and 
 white-mottled birds of the same general character, 
 
 TF^ife.— Whatever their origin, the " White Spanish," 
 possessing as they do every indication of common blood, 
 should appear in the exhibitionr-room side by side with 
 their Black relativesj Ait any rate, their claims to, this 
 position are fully as good as those of the. White Cochin- 
 Chinas and the White Polish. Pluma ge uniformly white- 
 Form, features,- and size, as in; the Black birds. 
 
 The absence of the effective contrast of colour caused, 
 by the comb< face^ andl plumage of the Black. Spanish, 
 renders these White birds ; far less striking in their 
 appearance. 
 
 Blue or Andalusian. — ^Plumage bluish grey, with glassy 
 black hackle and tail. The white face is here rarely 
 seen in perfection, while many specimens may be found 
 of weights exceeding, the usual Spanish average. 'As 
 with, the White variety, the proper place for the Anda- 
 lusian is, in. the Spanish class; 
 
 As a. table fowl the Minorca is better than the Spanish, 
 and the Andalusian is superior to. either; but all are 
 good; although their da,rk legs are unsightly. They 
 are all good. layers,, and. produce from five to six eggs 
 weekly from February to August, and about two weekly 
 from November tO' February. In weight the egg 
 averages 3^- ozs. ; the largest are laid in the spring. 
 The shells of the /Spanish are very thin, and o£ all white. 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 115 
 
 Pullets lay before they are six months old. Chickens 
 are best hatched at the end of April and during May. 
 They require careful nursing for the first fortnight. If 
 Tery early chickens are required let the hen have only 
 seven eggs under her in February, nor more than nine 
 afterwards, for the" eggs are large. Old birds moult 
 with difficulty, and should be especially tended as we 
 have directed under the head of " Treatment During 
 Moulting." The chickens grow fast, being in full 
 plumage by the time they are five months old. The» 
 white face of the Spanish comes to the cockerel earlier 
 than to the pullets; a blue, shrivelly appearance in 
 the face of the chickens is' much more promising of 
 future whiteness than red fleshiness in the part. 
 Pullets rarely are quite white-faced until more than a 
 year old. 
 
 Spanish fowls are not subject to roup', nor do they 
 catch it from contact with the most virulent cases, but 
 they have what is called the " black rot." This affects 
 them in many ways, but always w'ith general wasting, 
 black combs, and swollen legs and feet. The treatmenii 
 is free — almost constant — purging with castor oil, and' 
 equally liberal use of stimulants, such as old strong ale, 
 wine, and even diluted spirits. Taken in the early 
 stage this seldom fails to cure, but it is a long process 
 and only worth following with a valuable bird. 
 
 Tailless. See Rumplbss. 
 
 Turkey. — The great essential is large sizei. As to 
 varieties, there is not a doubt but the WKit^ are de- 
 cidedly tiie most delicate in general constitution, par- 
 ticularly when young, and consequently are the most 
 
116 DIFFERENT BREEDS. 
 
 difficult to rear with anything approximating to general 
 success. 
 
 The Fawn-coloured and the Ash-coloured are, however, 
 more rohust, and still more so the Parti-coloured ones. 
 For hardiness none excel the Cambridge, the Norfolk, or 
 the American Turkeys. These three last-named varie- 
 ties always dress a good colour in the flesh, whilst, 
 perhaps, as a rule, the Black Norfdlk Turkey has a 
 trifling advantage in this particular. The flavour of 
 the flesh of the American Turkey is peculiar and ex- 
 ceedingly good, but they do not attain a large size. 
 The combined good qualities of colossal size, a tendency 
 to fatten speedily, and first-rate flavour are not pos- 
 sessed by any variety of Turkey equally with the Cam- 
 bridge breed. They sometimes attain to even the 
 incredible weight of 35 lbs. when " stags " (as they are 
 then called) of two or more years old. 
 
 In choosing Turkeys for breeding the principal aid to 
 success seems to be a careful selection of brood birds 
 without any malformation, such proving itself almost 
 invariably hereditary. " Wry breasts," or " short 
 breasts," are either of them alike inadmissible. 
 
 Another matter deserving of great attention is to 
 secure the possession of the largest possible hens, for 
 the size eventually attained by the progeny depends far 
 more on the gigantic build of the female than of the 
 sire. To obtain the best of birds they must be liberally 
 fed from the onset until the very time they are removed 
 to the larder ; it is a very great mistake to suppose, as 
 too many do, that they must have time given them to 
 grow before they are fed abundantly, for unusually good 
 
DIFFERENT BREEDS. 117 
 
 Turkeys are q^uite unattainable by such procedure. . 
 The tortoiseshell character of the plumage gives the 
 Cambridge breed, when adult, a very prepossessing 
 appearance &,round the homestead, and a striking cha- 
 racter in the exhibition-room likewise. For competing 
 at poultry shows all the birds composing a single pen 
 ought to approximate very closely in colour and con- 
 dition of plumage, as weight alone will not here carry 
 the day. 
 
 Four hens and a cock are the best proportions, and 
 the cock should never be more than two years old ; get 
 a young one every second year from another yard. 
 Hens should not be older than four years. If well 
 taken care of they begin laying in January. Feed 
 plentifully and regularly, for they are no scratchers. 
 The hen usually lays from thirteen to twenty eggs, and 
 as soon as seven are produced these should be placed 
 under a common hen — a Shanghae hen is best; the 
 remainder of the eggs, if not more than thirteen, jjlace 
 under the Turkey herself when she wants to sit. Visit 
 her seldom, for they are very timid. The end of March 
 and all April is the best hatching period, and none 
 hatched later than May thrive. Take care that the 
 Turkey cock does not go near the sitting hen. The 
 chicks or poults require extreme attention; let them 
 remain in the nest twenty-four hours after hatching, 
 but remove the shells from the nest. Next morning 
 place the hen under a roomy coop or crate in a warm 
 outhouse, and on boards, for the poults are liable to 
 injury from damp and coldi This tenderness continues 
 until they are two months old. Full exposure to the 
 
118 MPFEKBNT BREEDS. 
 
 sun is very beneficial to them. Do not cram the poults, 
 however indifferent they seem to food ; give them some 
 on the points of your fingers, and from that they will 
 -soon learn to take it out of the trough. ' They thrive 
 on the same food as do chickens, with a little hemp- 
 seed, suet, onion-tops, green mustard, and nettle tops, 
 .choj)ped very fine and mixed with the food. Keep the 
 mother cooped for two months, but move the coop 
 every fine day into a grass field ; in cold or wet days 
 keep ithem shut up in the outhouse. After they are 
 ■two months old the poults may be fed like other 
 poultry. They require abundance of drinking water. 
 An American breeder of the Turkey says : — 
 About the middle of March, generally speaking, the 
 female commences laying : she indicates th« coming 
 event by a peculiar cry, by strutting about with an air 
 of self-satisfaction, and often by prying into out-of- 
 the-way places, evidently in quest of a secret spot for 
 incubation ; for the instinctive dread of the male is not 
 removed by domestication, nor has the male lost that 
 antipathy to the eggs which is his characteristic in a 
 state of nature. She should now be closely watched, 
 and some management is required to induce her to lay 
 in the nest assigned to her. The nest should be pre- 
 pared of straw and dried leaves; it should be secluded; 
 &nd to excite her to .adopt it, an egg, or piece of chalk 
 cut into the form of an egg, should be placed in it. 
 When her uneasiness to lay is evident, and symptoms 
 prove that she is ready, she should be confined in the 
 shed, barn, or place in which her nest (which should 
 be a wicker basket), is prepared, and let out as soon as 
 
DIITERBST BREEDS. 119 
 
 the egg is laid. TJie Turkey hen is a steady sitter ; 
 nothing will induce her to leave her nest ; indeed, she 
 often requires to be removed to her food, so over- 
 powering is her instinctive affection. The hen .should 
 on no account be rashly disturbed, no one except the 
 person to whom she is accustomed, and from whom she 
 receives her food, should .be allowed to go near her, 
 and the eggs should not be meddled with. 
 
 On about the twenty-sixth day, the chicks leave the 
 eggs, and these, like young fowls, do not require food 
 for several hours. It is useless to cram them, as some 
 do, fearing lest they should starve. When the chicks 
 feel an inclination for food, nature directs them how to 
 pick it up. There is no occasion for alarm if for many 
 hours they content themselves with the warmth of 
 their parent and enjoy her care only ; yet some food 
 should be provided for them, and this should be of 
 course suited to their nature and appetite ; here, too, 
 let the simplicity of nature be a guide. 
 
 The first diet offered to Turkey chicks should consist 
 of eggs boiled hard and finely minced, or curd with 
 bread-crumbs and the green part of onions, parsley, 
 &c., -chopped very small and mixed together so as to 
 form a loose crumby paste ; oatmeal with a little water 
 may also be given. They will require water ; but this 
 should be put into a very. shallow vessel, so as to insure 
 Against the danger of the chicks getting wet. Both tthe 
 Turkey hen and her chickens should be housed for a 
 &w days ; they may then, if the weather be fine, be 
 allowed a few hours' liberty during the day, but should 
 a shower threaten, they must be put immediately under 
 
120 DIFFERENT BREEDS — DISEASES. 
 
 shelter. This system must be persevered in for three 
 or four weeks. By this time they will have acquired 
 considerable strength, and will know how to take care 
 of themselves. As they get older, meal and grain may 
 be given more freely. They now begin to search for 
 insects and to dust their growing plumage in the sand. 
 At the age of about two months, or perhaps a little 
 more, the males and females begin to develope their 
 distinctive characteristics. 
 
 A correspondent of the Southern Rural Magazine 
 says that he has made successful experiments in feed- 
 ing Turkeys with charcoal. He took eight of these 
 fowls and put four in each of two separate pens, and 
 fed them alike, with meal, boiled potatoes, and oats, 
 with the exception that one set had a pint of pul- 
 verised charcoal daily, while the others had none. 
 They were all kiUed on the same day, when it was 
 found that those which received the charcoal averaged 
 each IJ lb. more than the others, and their flesh was 
 more tender and pleasant. 
 
 This is not improbable, for it is quite certain that 
 pigs thrive better if they have a few pieces of coal, 
 or cinders of coal, given them occasionally while 
 fattening. 
 
 DISEASES.* 
 
 It would not be expressing our opinion too un- 
 reservedly if we said that there is no specific for any 
 disease. Disease never occurs unless the animal — '■ 
 fowl, quadruped, or man — has been subjected to cir- 
 
 » Chiefly from Mr. W. B. Tegetmeier. 
 
DISEASES. 121 
 
 cumstances under which the vital functions have been 
 prevented acting as intended by their Creator — remove 
 the encumbering circumstances and Nature will do the 
 rest. The use of any medicine is to aid Nature, but 
 the most judicious of all treatment is that which 
 enables Nature to do without any aid. 
 
 If fowls have abundance of pure air, scrupulously 
 clean houses, the requisite warmth, nourishing food at 
 proper intervals, unfaUing clean water, and an un- 
 restricted dust bath, they will rarely be troubled with 
 disease unless it be hereditary. 
 
 Apoplexy. — When a bird falls down suddenly and 
 motionless. Cause, over-feeding, which brings a pres- 
 sure of blood upon the brain. Remedy, bleeding, by 
 opening a large vein under the wing, and pouring cold 
 water on the head. If this restores life, keep the fowl 
 on low diet and very quiet for a few days. 
 
 Baldness. — Losing the feathers from the head and 
 neck. Cause, defect of wholesome and green food. 
 Remedy, good feeding and plenty of green food ; at the 
 same time rubbing the bald place with mercurial oint- 
 ment, and giving a five-grain Plummer's pill every 
 second day for a week. 
 
 Blacks. — Spanish fowls are not subject to roup, nor 
 do they catch it from contact with the most virulent 
 cases, but they have what is called the Black Rot. 
 This affects them in many ways, but always with 
 general wasting, black combs, and swollen legs and 
 feet. The treatment is free — almost constant — ^purg- 
 ing with castor oil, and equally liberal use of stimu- 
 lants, such as old strong ale, vrine, and even diluted 
 
122 DISEASES. 
 
 spirits. Taken in the early stage this seldom fails to 
 cure, but it is a long process and only worth following 
 with a valuable bird. 
 
 Broken Limbs.-'— In cases of broken wings, the quill 
 feathers would p-event any recourse being had to 
 ordinary bandaging. Tie carefully the ends of some 
 of the quills together in their natural position, with 
 the wing closed; this would prevent motion of the 
 •broken ends of the bones ; and keep the bird in an 
 empty place, where there is no perch, or other sub- 
 stance, for it to attempt to fly upon. 
 
 I'racture of the fleshy part of the leg would be less 
 -manageable, and we can hardly recommend any band- 
 aging that could be readily applied. The most common 
 fracture in fowls is thaA of the naked part of the leg. 
 Let the white of an egg be well-beaten up with a fork, 
 and spread upon a strip of thick, soft, brown paper, 
 as wide as can be conveniently wrapped around ihe 
 broken limb. The fowl should be held by an assistant; 
 the leg slightly stretched, so as to bring the ends of 
 the bones in a straight Une; the moistened paper 
 should be wrapped smoothly round several times, and 
 secured by two or thr6e turns of thread ; and, lastly, 
 to prevent the parts being moved before the paper has 
 become dry and stiff, a thin «pliait of wood, such as is 
 used for lighting pipes, may be bound witti thread on 
 each side; the wood might be removed the following 
 day, as it then would ,add only to the weight, without 
 -increasing the advantage of the contrivance, which 
 acts by preventing all motioii, and so places the limb 
 in the best possible condition for a union to take place. 
 
DISEASES. 123 
 
 Spliats of this kind are of great value in human 
 surgery, and several modifications of them exist ; they 
 are sometimes formed of gutta percha softened by 
 heat, or by leather softened by hot water, or by tow 
 and gum, lint and starch, &c. ; but we do not think 
 any so applicable to poultry as that recommended, as 
 the materials are always at hand, and, what is a matter 
 of great importance, can be applied immediately after 
 the accident. 
 
 Bumble Feet. — This is a thickening of the muscles 
 and tendons of the feet. It occurs chiefly in the feet 
 of old Dorking cocks. It probably arises in part from 
 the birds roosting on perches far from the ground. 
 Low-placed perches are much to be preferred. We 
 know of no remedy for this affection. 
 
 Crowing Hen. — When a hen crows she has become 
 what poultry-breeders term "A Hen-cock." There 
 is an increase of size in her comb and gills, an in- 
 clination to fall over in the long tail feathers, and 
 unusual growth and alteration of hackle and saddle. 
 All this is caused by derangement of the egg-organs. 
 She will always be useless, she gets worse instead of 
 better, and ends by becoming a positive nuisance. 
 There is an old proverb, 
 
 " A wMstling woman, and a crowing'5ien, 
 Are worthless nnisa;iq?s to inen;*' 
 
 Cramp. — ^Feet contracted, and bird totally unable to 
 move its legs. Cause, exposure to damp and cold. 
 Remedy, dryness and warmth, with a generous soft 
 diet of oatmeal mashed with ale. 
 
 Crooked Breasts. — This distortion may be occa- 
 
124 DISEASES. 
 
 sioned sometimes by the birds roosting on 'narrow 
 perches, and when this is the case broad perches are 
 the self-evident remedy; but crooked breasts more 
 frequently arise from constitutional weakness in the 
 birds. They are stimulated too much into rapid 
 growth, and that which ought to be speedily solid bone 
 remains too long in a gristly and pliant state; the 
 muscles on one side of the breast are more developed 
 than on the other side, and they soon pull the bone 
 crooked. 
 
 Nourishing food, some rusty iron in their water, a 
 good run, and abundance of green food are the best 
 preventives. 
 
 Depraved Appetite. — Where fowls take to eating 
 feathers, or picking each other's flesh, it is a sure sign 
 they are in a very pampered or diseased state. Purge 
 them well vrith castor oil, a table-spoonful at a time ; 
 give them lettuce to eat ; feed sparingly, and let the 
 food be ground oats. Let them have dust in their 
 house, and rub the spots bare of feathers with com- 
 pound sulphur ointment. They should have no food 
 by them at any time, and be sparingly served at each 
 meal. They do not eat each other or their feathers 
 because they are hungry, but because they are suffer- 
 ing from a vitiated appetite. 
 
 DiAKRH(EA. — Excessive discharge from the bowels. 
 Came, violent transitijins of temperature, and exposure 
 to much cold and wet. Too little green food, or too 
 much unwholesome food also causes it. Remedy, five 
 grains of powdered chalk, one grain of opium, and one 
 grain of powdered ipecacuanha twice a-day until the 
 
DISEASES. 
 
 125 
 
 looseness is checked, accompanied by a warm soft diet, 
 such as oatmeal mashed with a little warm ale. 
 
 Egg-eating. — This is really one form of depraved 
 appetite. We have found the best way of saving eggs 
 from the unnatural propensities of hens is to place 
 composition ones in the nest and about their haunts. 
 They peck at these till their beaks are sore, and they 
 give it up at last in despair. It is also worth while to 
 watch the hens to nest, and, as soon as they have laid, 
 to frighten them from their nest, and to take the 
 egg. If this is done two or three times they will give 
 up the practice. 
 
 Gapes. — Symptoms, frequent yawning or gaping 
 caused by worms in the wind- 
 pipe. The worm is called Fas- 
 ciola trachealis, and though 
 allied to the Fluke found in 
 sheep, is, however, a creature 
 of very different general form, 
 being a red, wavy, cylindrical 
 worm, tapering at the tail, 
 and forking near the upper 
 extremity, the branch which 
 is sent off terminating in a 
 sucker for adhesion, whilst the mouth terminates the 
 principal trunk. The whole length of the worm seldom 
 exceeds an inch. Twenty of these worms of various 
 sizes have been found in the windpipe of a single 
 chicken. Pheasants, Partridges, &c., are also, liable to 
 be infected by them. They produce inflammation, and 
 sometimes suffocation and death. A common remedy 
 
 A The whole worm. 
 
 B The upper end, magnified. 
 
 a The sncker at the end of its 
 
 branch. 
 6 The head, with month. 
 
126 
 
 DISEASES. 
 
 is to introduce into the bird's throat thff end of a 
 feather, well oiled, and to turn it round, so as to dis- 
 lodge the worms, which are then either brought out by 
 the feather, or coughed out by the birdi. Another 
 mode of extraction is by a looped; horsehair. In 
 making the trial with the horsehair, some difficulty is 
 at first experienced in holding the head of the chicken- 
 stUl while performing the operation, as the windpipe is 
 very sensitive; hence the position of the fingers is here 
 sketched in which the head may be firmly held withi- 
 out harm to the chicken. While in this position its 
 windpipe may be seen, and the sole cause of its dis- 
 tress. If the rays of the suti are permitted to fall 
 upon its throat, the worms are more distinctly seen. 
 
 The horsehair is tied in the manner shown in the 
 drawing, and is most expedient, as other knots cause 
 the loop to deviate from a straight line a and b, 
 
 making it difficult to 
 introduce into the 
 windpipe. The loop 
 is about half an inch 
 long, and must be 
 rolled between the 
 thumb and finger to 
 make it angular, as 
 at c. The introduc- 
 tion of the hair must 
 first be by a quick 
 push, and be kept in 
 its place until it can be forced down, lest the coughing 
 of the chicken should expel it. It should be put down 
 
DISEASES. 127 
 
 about an inch and a half, and twisted in its course 
 upwards. Each operation should be performed in six 
 or eight seconds of time. It is not absolutely necessary 
 to remove every worm from the windpipe. Coarse hairs 
 are better than fine ones for the purpose. 
 
 Another remedy is to put the fowl into a box, and 
 place in the box, at the same time,, a sponge dipped in 
 spirit of turpentine on a hot-water plate filled with 
 boiling water. Eepeat this for three or four days. 
 But the most easily applied and effective preventive 
 as well as cure is to give the chicken affected a pellet 
 of camphor daily, about the size of a small pea, and 
 to have a piece of camphor in the water it drinks. The 
 cause is unnutritious diet and want of green food. 
 
 Giddiness. — ^When a fowl staggers, or falls back- 
 wards, or turns round and round. Cause and treat- 
 ment same as for Apoplexy. 
 
 Hard Crop. — Crop hard, like a cricket-ball. Cause, 
 eating too much at a time of barley or other hard dry 
 food. Remedy^ a dessert-spoonful of gin or other 
 spirit. If this does not succeed pour warm water 
 copiously down the throat into the crop. Loosen the 
 contents gently with the thumb and finger, and when 
 they are softened give a table-spoonful of castor oil; 
 continue this treatment tUl the crop is empty. Then 
 feed for a day or two on gruel, or meal mixed very 
 slack, and the recovery will be rapid. 
 
 In any apparently hopeless case, you can perform a 
 very simple operation. Pull off a few of the feathers 
 in front of the crop, make an incision with a sharp 
 small knife, and take out the contents. 'Wash the 
 
128 DISEASES. 
 
 crop with warm water. Then sew up the crop with 
 coarse thread. Afterwards draw the outer skin to- 
 gether in the same way. Ruh the suture with healing 
 ointment, and give the patient gruel, adding thereto a 
 little strong beer for the first three days, in the pro- 
 portion of one table-spoonful of beer to four of gruel. 
 A fortnight generally makes a perfect cure. 
 
 Inflamed Egg-oksans. — Symptoms, the hen going 
 on to the nest without laying; having a straddling 
 gait ; laying shell-less eggs ; dropping eggs from perch 
 or elsewhere. Cause, over-feeding. Another cause is 
 eating the seeds of grapes, or grain affected with 
 ergot. We once knew a yard of Dorkings having an 
 extensive grass run. They all laid shell-less eggs, and 
 the pullets evidently had over-excited egg-organs, the 
 eggs were distorted, and addled eggs, almost without 
 exception, characterised every sitting. 
 
 We believe the seeds of the grasses were affected 
 with ergot. It may be necessary to explain to some 
 of our readers that ergot is a fungoid substance, which 
 completely changes the composition of the grass seed 
 which it attacks. It is known scientifically as Sper- 
 moedia clavus, and occurs most commonly in damp low- 
 lying soils, and in years characterised by wet seasons. 
 It was first observed in the seed of rye; and bread 
 made from such seed has caused many fatal epidemics 
 in the north of Europe. Cattle fed . upon ergoted 
 grass or corn seeds are liable to paralysed legs and 
 extreme debility. In South America hogs and mules 
 fed upon ergoted maize lose their hoofs and hair. 
 Hens having ergoted rye lay shell-less eggs {Chris- 
 
■ DISEASES. 129 
 
 tison on Poisons, p. 788 ; Edinburgh Med- and Surg. 
 Journal, vol. liji.). Perrault relates that persons who 
 ate bread made of corn thus diseased lost their fingers, 
 noses, and even hands by a peculiar gangrene. In 
 Columbia, Eoulin relates that people eating ergoted 
 maize lose their hair and teeth, but are never attacked 
 by gangrene. 
 
 When the ergot has attacked the seeds of a grass it 
 appears on them in the form of very small, purplish, 
 pin-shaped bodies. They have been observed upon the 
 sides of the seeds of rye-grass, cocksfoot, and foxtail 
 grasses, besides on those of the more reed-like genera, 
 and on those of wheat and barley as well as rye. There 
 is no doubt that seeds so affected, eaten extensively by 
 cows, ewes, or mares, would cause them to abort ; and 
 poultry eating them would lay imperfect eggs. 
 
 Remedy, low diet of boiled mashed potatoes and 
 boiled rice for a week or more ; giving a dessert- 
 spoonful of castor oil, and a piU containing one grain 
 of calomel, and one-twelfth of a grain of tartar emetic 
 every second day for a week. 
 
 It will be useful as well as interesting for the poultry 
 owner to be aware of the structure of the egg-produc- 
 ing organs. They are, 1st, the Ovarium, or, as we may 
 term it in English, the Ovary ; and, 2ndly, the Oviduct, 
 or, as it may be better called, the Egg-pa,ssage. The 
 ovary, which is almost always situated on the left side, 
 is attached to the fore part of the left kidney. When 
 the hen is not laying, it is small, and, comparatively, 
 inconspicuous, and on examination will be found to 
 contain an immense number of minute roundish blad- 
 
 E 
 
130 
 
 DISEASES. 
 
 ders, which are the rudiments of future eggs ; when 
 the hen is about to commence laying, some of these 
 germs enlarge, not, however, all at the same time, but 
 in regular succession, so that on examining a fertile 
 OTary it will be found to contain germs of all sizes, 
 
 from a pin's head to 
 that of a full-grown 
 yolk. The germs, as 
 they enlarge, are con- 
 nected with the ovary 
 by exceedingly slender 
 stalks, so that the 
 whole organ assumes 
 the appearance of a 
 bunch of currants, the 
 fruits of which are of 
 various sizes. All that 
 is found in the ovary is 
 the yolk of the egg, on 
 which may be observed 
 a slightly opaque spot, 
 to be developed, during 
 the process of hatching, 
 into the future bird. 
 The oviduct, or egg- 
 passage, is a long tube, which varies very much in size 
 at different periods. When the hen is not laying, it is 
 much smaller than during the time when the eggs are 
 being formed ; at this latter period it is, when stretched 
 out to its full length, about 2 feet long. 
 The egg-passage commences by a wide, open, funnel- 
 
DISEASES. 131 
 
 shaped aperture, as shown in the preceding drawing. 
 At this end the passage is excessively thin and delicate ; 
 it gradually thickens, however, and forms a tube, which 
 has very much the appearance of one of the bowels. 
 If this tube (which, for the sake of clearness, has been 
 shown in the engraving in a somewhat extended state), 
 is cut open from end to end, it may be observed that 
 the part nearest the ovary is lined by longitudinal 
 folds, but that at the other extremity it presents a 
 velvety appearance. The outer end of the tube joins 
 the termination of the bowels, just before the external 
 aperture, both together forming a short, but large, 
 passage termed the Cloaca, which is not shown in the 
 engraving. 
 
 When a yolk has attained its full size in the ovary, 
 the membrane covering it, and which is traversed 
 in various directions by a network of blood-vessels, 
 becomes exceedingly thin at one part, and the whole 
 being grasped by the open funnel-shaped end of the 
 egg-passage, the thin part gives way, and the yolk 
 passes into the tube. The office of the egg-passage is 
 to form in succession the various parts covering the 
 yolk. The upper part of the tube that is lined with 
 longitudinal folds secretes or forms the white of the 
 egg, one portion of which is formed of a much more 
 solid consistence than the remainder. This more solid 
 portion is, as the yolk slides down the tube, twisted 
 into two delicate spiral cords, the use of which is to 
 keep the yolk in a proper position in the future egg ; 
 these cords, which are termed in scientific works the 
 chalam, are popularly called "the tread," and are 
 
132 DISEASES. 
 
 erroneously supposed to be presenli only ia an im- 
 regnated egg. 
 
 The yolk, being thus surrounded with the white, 
 passes on tow9,rds the middle of the tube, aiud here it 
 is retained, whilst a tough parchment-like membrane, 
 the skin lining the shell of the egg, is forjned around 
 it. Thi? process having been completed, the whole egg 
 passes into that part of the tube with the velvet-like 
 lining, and there receives its last covering, which is 
 formed chiefly of chalk, pr carbonate of li^ie, and 
 which consl^tutes the shell. This process performed, 
 the egg is re9,dy for expulsion. In the engraving, the 
 egg-passage is represented as distended by an egg at 
 the place where the shell is formed. 
 
 If two yolks are eq^ajly developed in the ovary, and 
 both received at the same time by the funnel-shaped 
 eB4 of the egg-passage, then both will b^ surrounded 
 by the saime white, shell, &c., and a double-yolked egg 
 will result. 
 
 If, from being excited in any way, as by being driven 
 about or by over-stimulating food,, the egg-passage is 
 roused tp too rapid a,ction,, the egg may not be retained 
 sufficiently long for the shell to be formed, and a soft, 
 but otherwise perfect, egg resultsj. 
 
 If the irrit9,tion extends to the middle of the tube, 
 the, membrane is malformed, and soft eggs, shaped like 
 hour-glassep, or perhaps not closed at the* end, are 
 produced- 
 
 If the irritation extends still farther, the yolks may 
 be, passed away without any covering whatever. 
 
 It not unfrequently happens that the outlet of the 
 
DISEASES. 133 
 
 egg-passage becomes closed. This may happen from 
 several causes : sometimes, by straining in laying, the 
 cloaca passes out, and the derangeifient of the part 
 closes the egg-passage; at other times, a soft mal- 
 formed egg may lose its contents, when the skin 
 puckers up, and forms a thin irregularly-shaped body, 
 which the egg-passage cannot contract upon so as to 
 expel. In these cases, the contents of the passage 
 above the obstruction have, by a reverse action of the 
 organ, been sent in the opposite direction; and the 
 white found, or even an imperfect egg, loose in the 
 cavity of the body, giving rise to a degree of inflam- 
 mation which is necessarily fatal. This reverse action 
 must also take place, to some extent, when one egg is 
 found to be contained within another. 
 
 The expulsive efforts required in laying, are, in over- 
 fed hens, the constant cause of apoplexy; all the 
 sudden deaths that occur in laying-hens art to be 
 attributed to this cause. 
 
 Leg Weakness. — Inability to stand or move for any 
 length of time. Cause, too rapid growth. Rerhedy, 
 nourishing diet, plenty of greeii food, and font grains 
 of citrate of iron daily until the bird's strength is 
 iihp^oved. 
 
 Lice. — ^These vermin in poultry are effectually de- 
 stroyed by thoroughly dusting flotfers of sulphur down 
 to the roots of the feathers twice or thrice, with the 
 interval of a day between each two dustingSi 
 
 The best course of procedure, however, when you 
 detect lice in your chickens, is to give them immediate 
 relief by putting a little sweet oil with the finger on 
 
:134 DISEASES. 
 
 the poll of the head and under each wing. Then let 
 them have a dust bath. Thoroughly dry coal ashes 
 are best for this bath, and mix a pound of flowers of 
 sulphur with the ashes. 
 
 Paralysis. — When a bird loses the use of its limbs. 
 Cause, an oozing of blood upon the brain, arising from 
 over-feeding. Remedy, keep the bird quite quiet and 
 cool, and on low diet ; the oozing then sometimes, but 
 rarely, ceases, and we have known the birds afterwards 
 recover and be the mothers of families. 
 
 Pip. — ^A dry scale on the tongue is not a disease, 
 but a symptom of some other disease. Never cut off 
 the point of the tongue. When the bird is cured of 
 the disease, whether roup, or diarrhoea, or gapes, the 
 pip will disappear. 
 
 Quill-bound. — This is the designation of a slow- 
 ness, or stoppage of growth in the large feathers. It 
 arises from weakness in the fowl, and bread soaked in 
 ale and scraps of meat should be given to it daily. 
 At the same time the parts should be rubbed thoroughly 
 with oil, and the skin broken, where a protrusion 
 points out the place of an embryo feather, by passing 
 a needle through and breaking the skin upwards. 
 
 Roup. — Offensive discharge from the nostrils, froth 
 in the comer of the eyes, and their lids swollen. This 
 is contagious. Cause, exposure to excessive wet and 
 cold. Remedy, wash the head daily, or twice daily, 
 with tepid water. Sulphate of copper, one grain, 
 daily, mixed in oatmeal mashed with ale, and plenty of 
 green food. Separate the fowl from all others. If not 
 better within a week kill the fowl. 
 
BISEA8BS. 135 
 
 Spinal Curvature. — This causes the tail to be 
 carried constantly on one side. This is tisually in- 
 herited, but also arises from over-growth when young, 
 caused usually by too high feeding and too much con- 
 finement. Nourishing but not animal food, a good run, 
 and abundance of green food, are the best preventives. 
 
 Tails Awry. — Wry tails are caused by crooked 
 backs or spines. When one fowl in a yard bends its tail 
 on one side, it may be the result of accidental injury ; 
 but where it is the rule, you must look to the breed 
 and parents. This, in common with most defects, is 
 hereditary. We tried an experiment. A hen, used 
 only as a mother, on account of her virtues in that 
 character, was slightly deformed. She ran with a 
 perfect cock, but five of her eggs were put under her 
 with some more ; these five all produced chickens with 
 the same defect as herself. We are convinced that this 
 is the most common cause for the wry tails — ^it is a 
 malformation. 
 
 Tumours. — A small lump, usually on the breast, 
 need not be interfered with, but if it so increases in 
 size as to derange the plumage, and the bird is valu- 
 able, it must be removed. 
 
 An incision should be made in the skin with a very 
 sha,rp knife, the tumour entirely removed, especially any 
 little parts adhering to the bone. The wound should 
 be well washed with cold water, and then sewed up. 
 In sewing, the edges of the skin only must be brought 
 together. If it is attempted to sew it up tight, it causes 
 such discomfort that the bird will not allow it to heal. 
 No plaister or ointment need be applied. 
 
136 DISEASES — FEATHERS. 
 
 Ulceration of Liver or Intestines. — If a fowl 
 mopes, with its neck drawn within its shoulders, 
 droops its wings, has pallid comb, wastes, and finally 
 diarrhoea sets in — ^the probahility is that it has ulcers 
 in its liver, or intestines, or in both. There is little or 
 no hope of saving a fowl thus diseased. Bread soaked 
 in ale should be its chief food, but we know of no 
 medicine that is beneficial. 
 
 White Comb. — A white, mouldy appearance on the 
 comb, or as if some powdered chalk had been rubbed 
 upon it. Cochin-Chinas are very subject to this. 
 Remedy, we have found rubbing the place with an 
 ointment of two parts cocoa-nut oil and one part tur- 
 meric powder e£fectual. If it fails, treat as directed 
 for Baldness. 
 
 FEATHERS. 
 
 Pencilled Feather. — Strictly speating this is 
 found only on Hamburgh fowls. The ground colour is 
 a rich clear yellow in the Golden-pencilled, and a 
 French white in the Silver- pencilled. In both there 
 are across the feather four, at least, parallel dark bars, 
 as if done artistically with a pencU. 
 
 Laced Feather. — The "fringed" feather would 
 have been a better descriptive name, as the allusion is 
 to the narrow edging all round it. 
 
 There are two varieties— the "Golden -laced" and 
 the " Silver-laced," and in either the body colour of 
 the feather, whether yellow or white, should be per- 
 fectly free from " splashing "—that is, without any 
 other colour upon it except its edging or lacing. The 
 
FEATHERS. 
 
 137 
 
 more regular that lacing is in width and in colour, the 
 more clearly defined its edge, and the more completely 
 it encircles the feather, the more perfect it is to cha- 
 racter. At the top, and near the base, it is usually 
 rather wider. 
 
 The Gold and Silver Bantams are the birds with 
 whom lacing becomes the main characteristic of their 
 
 
 Pencilled Feather. 
 
 Laced Feather. 
 
 plumage, for when found in other varieties it is only 
 partially developed. Thus the greater wing coverts 
 and some other feathers of the Gold and Silver Polands 
 are often laced; but a Poland "laced throughout" we 
 have never yet seen. Combinations of the lacing with 
 the spangle often occur, to the detriment, as we think, 
 of the effect of both. 
 Spangled Feather. — A spangled feather is broadly 
 
138 
 
 FEATHERS — ARTIFICIAL HATCHING. 
 
 tipped with a colour differing from the ground colour 
 of the feather. Thus we have before us ochre-coloured 
 feathers spangled with white, 
 ochre-coloured spangled, with 
 black, black spangled with 
 white, and white spangled with 
 black, as represented in our 
 drawing. 
 
 "We think that the spangle 
 which approaches to a circular 
 form is the most correct, for 
 when of the crescent or horse- 
 shoe shape it appears to be 
 passing towards the laced cha- 
 racter. When the spangle is of 
 the crescent form the plumage 
 has a gayer and lighter aspect 
 (we are speaking of the dark- 
 spangled) ; but when the spangle is circular or oval the 
 plumage is richer to the eye. The ground colour of 
 the feather should be unsplashed. 
 
 Spangled Feather. 
 
 ARTIFICIAL HATCHING. 
 
 Cantelo and Minasi are those whose names are 
 identified with artificial hatching in this country. 
 Anything will make a hatching-machine in which the 
 temperature can be kept regularly at 104° or 105". 
 The commonest kitchen oven partly filled with dry 
 sand, and kept at that temperature, will unfailingly 
 hatch eggs. It can be done with greater certainty 
 
ARTIFICIAL HATCHING. 
 
 139 
 
 where gas can be made use of. Hatching is too often 
 to the amateur what marriage is said to be to a man — 
 ihen his troubles begin. He cannot make a mother. 
 An incubator is useful in hot weather as a means of 
 providing every hen with a large brood of chickens, but 
 the artificial mother is not equal to a good motherly hen. 
 
 The contrivances of Cantelo and Minasi were expen- 
 sive and complicated ; that suggested by Mr. Geyelin is 
 much more simple and less costly. We have heard of 
 another, not yet publicly announced, which is said to 
 be still superior. 
 
 Mr. Geyelin describes his incubator as so portable 
 and convenient in its construction that it can be placed 
 
 Portable Artificial Hen for Hatching. Perspective elevation. 
 
 in a bed-room, and while hatching it will keep the 
 room warm day and night, and the light from the gas 
 or lamp will serve as a night-light. 
 
]40 
 
 ARTIFICIAL HATCHING. 
 
 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIII 
 
 Portable Artificial Hen for Hatching. — From 
 the preceding perspective elevation and section it will 
 be seen that the hatching apparatus consists of separate 
 parts — 1, A glass-covered box; 2, A water- tank; 3, A 
 floating vessel ; 4, A gas or oil lamp. 
 
 The glass-covered box is made of japanned tin, it 
 has a glass door through which the lamp can be seen. 
 
 The bottom of this box 
 is perforated in the centre 
 for the admission of air 
 to the lanip, and the other 
 part is carpeted to receive 
 the chickens as they leave 
 their shells. About 12 ins. 
 from the bottom are four 
 brackets to receive the 
 water-tank. The lid has 
 
 TranBverse Section. 
 
 a perforated border for the escape of the vitiated air 
 and the steam from the water. The sides are provided 
 with handles for carrying the box from one place to 
 another, and it stands on four knobs to allow of a free 
 passage of air underneath. 
 
 The water-tank is maSe of tin, and is a little smaller 
 than the box, so as to allow about half an inch for the 
 free passage of air all round. 
 
 The floating vessel is also made of tin, and is a trifle 
 smaller than the water-tank, so as to allow of its float- 
 ing in it. The centre of this vessel has an oval open- 
 ing in which a registering thermometer is kept to show 
 at all times the temperature of the water. The bottom 
 of this vessel is covered with about an inch deep of 
 
ARTIFICIAL HATCHING, 141 
 
 silver sand on which the eggs are placed. By means 
 of the central opening and that between the vessel and 
 the tank, the air is kept in a constantly moist condi- 
 tion. The lamp may burn either gas or oil, but gas is 
 certainly preferable. 
 
 Management of the Apparatus. — This is so simple 
 that only a very few directions will be necessary. 
 
 1st. Fill the tank with hot water till the floating 
 vessel reaches the top level, then see that the water 
 has a temperature of nearly 112°. Then light the 
 lamp. Should the heat increase reduce the flame, but 
 if the temperature rises or decreases but slowly it can 
 be regulated by admitting more or less air through the 
 door of the box. 
 
 2nd. The principal point, however, is, that the 
 temperature on the sand should not vary much from 
 105°, and it wiU be found that with a water heat of 
 112°, the sand will be at 105«, and the eggs at 98". _ 
 For beginners it is always best to put the apparatus in 
 action for a day or two before putting eggs in it. 
 
 3rd. Turn the eggs once or twice a-day, and keep 
 the water replenished as it evaporates. 
 
 THE END. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 Artificial Hatching 1 38 
 
 Breeding Stock 22 
 
 Chicken Management ...,,,... 32 
 Difierent Breeds, arranged alphabetically .... 53 — 120 
 
 Diseases, alphabetically 120 — 136 
 
 Eggs for Sitting and Travelling 26 
 
 Fattening 40 
 
 Feathers 136 
 
 Food 21 
 
 KilUng Poultry 46 
 
 Management of Sitting Hen . . • , • • • 23 * 
 
 Poultry in Confined Space 7 
 
 Poultry-Yard and its Fittings 9 
 
 Preserving Eggs 49 
 
 Selection of Stock 1 
 
 Sending to Exhibitions ... 43 
 
 Time Occupied in Sitting 32 
 
 Treatment During Moulting .38 
 
 Treatment in Winter .39 
 

 
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