THE BOOK OF POULTRY. 



receive at least one practical lesson, and then 

 experiment at first upon dead fowls, in order 

 to learn the exact position of the various organs. 



" In some of the countries of Western Europe 

 during the spring months of the year a limited 

 amount of trade is done in what are termed 

 petits poussins or poideis an lait, or ' milk 

 chickens.' These birds range from a month to 

 eight weeks old, and vary in weight from 8 oz. 

 to 12 oz. They are dressed in the same way 

 as a pheasant, and each guest is 

 Milk Chickens, served with the whole bird. For 

 such small birds during the London 

 season the demand is fair, but there does 

 not appear any tendency to increase, which 

 may to some extent be due to the lack of 

 supplies. Still there is a limited market for 

 really good specimens at excellent prices, 

 but it is not a branch of the poultry industry 

 which is capable of great development. In 

 France the sale of these birds is much 

 greater, and large quantities are produced in 

 the department of Seine-et-Oise. But in all 

 questions of this kind we must consider the 

 different habits of the people, and French dishes 

 are prepared with less meat and more accessories 

 than is the case in this country. The price 

 varies in accordance with the quality, but i y'z to 

 2 francs is paid for ordinary specimens, better 

 birds reaching 3 and 4 francs. In London such 

 birds sell at from is. 2d. to 2s. od. each. A 

 large number of these. poitlets an lait are sold in 

 Belgium, and it is a special industry undertaken 

 by a few persons, who are very skilful in bring- 

 ing them forward. Many of the Belgian birds 

 are killed a little larger than is the case in 

 England and France, but some are very small 

 and dainty. In England the sale of these birds 

 is between Easter and the beginning of July, 

 and it is a purely metropolitan trade, but in 

 both France and Belgium the season is some- 

 what longer. 



" For producing the best quality of milk 

 chickens it is necessary to have a quick-growing, 

 light-boned fowl, and at the same time one 

 which by habits and temperament is suitable for 

 the restriction necessary. It has been found 

 that crosses between the Indian Game and the 

 Dorking, or the Houdan, make plump, fleshy 

 birds at four to six weeks old, and the Buff 

 Orpington is also very useful for this purpose. 

 In France the petits poussins are chiefly Fave- 

 rolles. At one time the Houdan was chiefly 

 depended upon, but the greater vigour of the 

 Faverolle, and the fact that they have to a 

 very large extent taken the place of Houdans, 

 explains why it is that birds of this class are 

 so strongly in evicScnce. It is to the Belg^ians, 



however, that we owe the most advanced know- 

 ledge upon this part of poultry culture. Instead 

 of depending chiefly upon what are known as 

 the table class of poultry for the production of 

 poulets ail lait, the breeders of that country find 

 that the non-sitters give better specimens at an 

 early age. For one thing they are lighter in 

 bone, but the chief reason is that they are much 

 more rapid in growth, maturing at a very early 

 age. It is well known to breeders that the 

 combs of the non-sitting varieties spring much 

 sooner than is the case with any other class of 

 fowl, that the chickens are very precocious, and 

 that development is quick. Such has been our 

 experience with Leghorns and breeds of the 

 same class. At the Poultry Conference held at 

 Reading in 18S9 M. Vander Snickt, of Brussels, 

 explained the economic value of the cock crow- 

 ing contests which are common in Belgium, 

 namely, that this was a sign of rapid develop- 

 ment and of early maturity. And it is a striking 

 fact that at the Smithfield Table Poultry Show 

 of the same year, in the class offered for petits 

 poussins or poulets au lait, the exhibits from 

 Belgium were not, as might have been expected, 

 Coucou de Malines, the great table fowl of that 

 country, but Braeckel, Braeckel cross, and Cam- 

 pines, and the quality of these birds was acknow- 

 ledged by the most prominent poulterers. 



" So far as the hatching of the small chickens 

 is concerned, this must be done in order to meet 

 the market demands. As already indicated, the 

 sale in this country is from April to the begin- 

 ning of July, and consequently this fact must be 

 kept in view, as it is no use marketing them 

 either too early or too late. Where cockerels 

 of non-sitting breeds are used, the regular 

 hatching season fits the demand. In some 

 cases when the sexes have declared themselves, 

 provided the variety were one to show sex so 

 early, breeders might keep any of the pullets 

 required for other purposes. As a rule, how- 

 ever, it will be found better not to regard this 

 question at all. 



" Those who go in for the production of 

 petits poussins will require to make provision for 

 the birds, and to start at the very outset to feed 

 them upon food that is calculated to develop 

 flesh rather than bone. It has been claimed that 

 the best method of securing good birds is by 

 keeping them absolutely under cover during the 

 whole period, but such a system has dangers 

 which only the most skilful can avoid. During 

 a cold wet spring there can be no question that 

 a good, roomy, well lighted, and well ventilated 

 chicken house is of great service. By this means 

 the birds are sheltered against adverse influences 

 which would check their growth, and provided 



