lo Jan.. 1 910.] Poultry Farming on Small Holdings. 13 



fed heavilv are poor stock getters. Immature, undersized birds, or 

 those lacking stamina, should never be placed in the breeding pen. 

 Health and constitutional vigour, as indicated by birds of active and 

 sprightly dispositions, are of great importance. Breeding birds of good 

 size should te chosen, and. if pure breeds are kept, thev should conform 

 to the standard breed requirements, especially in regard to tvpes. Breed- 

 ing from late pullets is not desirable, but forward pullets mav be success- 

 ful Iv mated with two vear old cocks. 



When hea\y breeds, such as Orpingtons or Wyandottes, are selected, 

 care should be taken not to have too many hens in the breeding pen Seven 

 two year old hens to a one vear old male bird are ample, and fertility will 

 be assured. As the Leghorn, ^linorca, and Andalusian breeds are lighter 

 and more active, one may look for good results bv adding ten to twelve hens 

 to a cockerel. Should it be desired to keep onlv one breed and to economize 

 for a year or two, in the matter of suitable pens, twentv hens, having 

 their liberty, will not be too manv for a vigorous cockerel. But it must 

 be distinctly understood, that hens lav much earlier when confined in pens, 

 than those having the run of the block. Too much wet grass militates 

 against ^^g production ; it scours the birds, so that the less thev hnve during 

 the autumn and winter, the better results will follow. 



WHITE ORPINGTONS. 



Feeding of Breeding Stock. — Plentv of green food is required during 

 the breeding season and a fair amount of animal food. It is not wise 

 to feed maize during this period ; wheat and oats are better. Feed the 

 male bird bv himself, otherwise an over-kind cockerel will almost starve 

 himself. This is a common cause of infertility, and at times, is largelv 

 responsible for chickens being dead in the shell. 



Advantages and Disadvantages of Poultry-Keeping. 

 For the beginner at least, it is quite probable that the first year or 

 two, .small poultr\ -keepers will find it necessary and more convenient to 

 raise their stock i3y natural methods. However, with the small cost of 

 the present-dav incubator, and its simplicity of working. It is doubtful 

 if he is acting wiselv in disregarding the artificial methods of hatching ; 

 a single machine, of i co-egg capacity, will hatch as many chickens as 

 will 8 hens of fair size and in most cases at much less trouble. One 

 has to consider the cost of keening sitting hens in and out of season : 



