CHAPTER III. 



PRACTICAL MANAGEMENT AND FEEDING OF FOWLS. 



SUCCESS in poultry-keeping, on the smallest 

 scale or the largest alike, requires sufficient 

 interested attention from someone quali- 

 fied to give it. We have found uniformly during 

 many years, that with the rare exceptions where 

 they themselves can be brought to take, or natur- 

 ally take, a strong interest in the matter — such 

 exceptions being worth their weight in gold — 

 servants or labourers cannot be relied upon for 

 long together to mix food properly, to give it 

 carefully, to keep things clean, to work steadily, 

 or to see to many other matters essential to 

 economy or well-being. If there are children in 

 a family old enough to undertake a small stock, 

 they will be alike benefited and pleased by 

 looking after the fowls, and soon grasp the 

 proper ways of doing it. If not, or on a larger 

 scale, the owner must either see to things 

 personally, or take such oversight as shall 

 persistently secure proper economy of labour, 

 and care of his birds and of their feeding. If 

 this cannot be done, it will be best not to 

 attempt keeping fowls ; even a few, without 

 such care, would probably become a nuisance 

 and prove a loss. 



Whatever be the scale of operations, again, 

 some general system of management should 

 be pursued ; and it is obvious that 

 A System such a system must differ, as will 

 Uanagement. somewhat the kinds or breeds of 

 fowls selected, according to the ex- 

 tent of the accommodation, and the objects 

 desired. Let us take again the very smallest 

 scale ; supposing that some supply of eggs 

 for household use is the end in view, and that a 

 small house and run as described in Chapter I. 

 are all that can be given up to the fowls. In such 

 circumstances exhibition is quite out of reach, 

 and even chicken-rearing is practically im- 

 possible, unless it can be carried on in some 

 run and place of shelter quite independent of 

 the other ; and yet a few fowls can be kept so 

 as to be a source of continual interest, and yield 

 a good return upon their cost. 



The proper plan in such a case will be to 

 purchase in the spring a number of hens pro- 

 portioned to the size of the run, and none ex- 



ceeding a year old. A cock is useless, as hens 

 lay very nearly, if not quite, as well without one. 

 These birds, if in good health and condition, 

 will either be already laying, or will commence 

 almost immediately ; and if properly managed 

 will ensure a constant supply of eggs until the 

 autumnal moulting season.* Whenever a hen 

 shows any desire to sit, the propensity must be 

 checked as hereafter described. But it is much 

 better to avoid all this by keeping only a non- 

 sitting breed, such as one of the jSIinorca, Leg- 

 horn, Hamburgh, or French varieties. Ham- 

 burghs are not suitable for a confined shed 

 alone. 



To buy only young and healthy birds is very 

 important. An experienced hand can tell an 

 old fowl at a glance, but it is rather difficult to 

 impart this knowledge to a beginner, for no one 

 sign is infallible. In general, however, it may 

 be said that the legs of the young hen look 

 delicate and smooth, her comb and wattles soft 

 and fresh, and her general outline, even in good 

 condition (unless fattened for the table), rather 

 light and graceful ; whilst an old one will have 

 rather hard horny-looking shanks, her comb and 

 wattles look somewhat harder, drier, and more 

 "scurfy," and her figure is well filled out. At- 

 tempt should also be made to secure birds of a 

 really good laying family or strain, for each 

 breed differs much in individuals. Good laying 



is now bred for practically as much 

 Good Layers, as fancy points, and such birds, or 



eggs from them, are widely adver- 

 tised in the principal poultry papers. Perhaps 

 their price may be an objection for a small 

 family stock, however ; and to a large extent 

 good layers can be selected even by " eye," from 

 fine common country fowls. They should have 

 good sized combs, but not too large, very fresh 

 and red-looking faces, and a neat, alert, intelli- 

 gent expression. A faded, dispirited look in a 



* It is really as well, and often better, to start about Octobei 

 with .April pullets. Our reason for not recommending this so 

 much to the absolute beginner, is that he may get into the habit 

 of attending to the fowls before the winter comes on, when it 

 might be felt more of a tax if then confronted for the first time. 

 Also eggs will come sooner, and a little " hen-fruit" '.s a greal 

 encouragement. 



