HINTS ON POULTRY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2696, 28 November 1882, Page 4

HINTS ON POULTRY.

In selecting 1 stock the farmer will, of course, go to two individuals for his birds, and ask not for such as are able to take prizes and which command large sums, but for fine birds of great vigour which are imperfect for the show pen, and which are, of course, as good as the other for his intended crossing. In selecting cocks, he should see that the Game is largo and fine in bone, hard in plumage, with a straight breast and broad chest. This bird may be what a breeder would call coarse, and and will be all the better for the farmer if he is. A Dorking cock must be clean and white legged, very deep and broad in body, and be lusty in the extreme, with a weight of about 101 b. The Crevecceur must above all bo largo, deep, and heavy with every sign of perfect health. Breeders condemn breeds which have bud combs, small crests, and squirrel tails; these points have nothing to do with meat, and, of course, will not make any difference to the farmer, especially as he gets it cheaper in consequence. The same may be said of the Houdan and La Pleche, with the addition that if the Houdan has any colored feathers, badly developed fifth clews, or improperly colored legs, it is of no use to the former, but just as good for the farmer, while the comb and ear of the La Pleche must be perfect for exhibition, but have no effect when cross-breeding is desired. The chief thing to remember is that, whereas the valuable points of the former may be retained —such as size, vigor, quality, yet the purely fancy points of color, comb, ear, toes, and so on, are of no consequence at all. Again, in selecting pullets of these breeds, wo recommend young birds in preference to old. It is necessary to be even more particular as to size than with the cocks, because the female has more influence on this point than the male. The Dorking hen is a very large bird, and must be straight, square, and short legged, with full bone. The game hen hard as nails, broad in breast, and large as she can be got, the fine typical show birds being, as a rule, of little use. The Houdan, Creve, and La Pleche must be as large as they can be got, square, short-legged, and above all strong and hardy in constitution. Wo mentioned that young birds were better than old. We will explain why. It is admitted that a young cock will produce better chicks when mated with an old hen, but we believe that where the parents on both sides are early hatched and consequently fully matured that there is very little difference, whereas with the young birds there is a certainty of getting chickens, which is not the case where old birds are in the pen. An old cock can never be depended upon until March, and 2-year-old hens often delay laying till then. Pullets, on the contrary, generally lay all through the winter on and off, and young cocks are always vigorous enough for breeding. By one system you can get hundreds of chickens before the hens begin to lay fertile eggs under the other ; and the absolute certainty of eggs, and fertile ones too, is a great necessity. A young cock at liberty may be mated to a dozen hens even in winter, and to more in spring; and if a cock of the same race as the hens is kept also, and put down for a week or ten days in early spring, the other being removed the while, there will be a sufficient number of prire eggs laid to produce the requisite number of pure pullets for the next year’s breeding. A single cock can always be bought; pullets come more expensive, as they are more numerous, and can be reared as well at home without any extra trouble.—“ Mark Lane Express.”