MANAGING A TROOP OF PLUCKING BIRDS. 71 



a few mealies thrown to them to attract their attention 

 from the operator, when no holding will he required. 

 The irons being red-liot, they only require to be applied 

 and removed almost instantaneously, and then a dab of 

 oil should be put on the place. The mistake that is 

 generally made is keeping th3 iron on too long, thus 

 destroying the skin and making a sore. On a large 

 establishment there should be an age-brand as well. 

 Pieces of fencing-wire twisted into any required shape 

 make the best branding-irons that can be used for either 

 age or quality branding. 



Every plucking time, any extra well- feathered bird 

 should receive a private brand, and every particularly 

 inferior one another. This can also be done by notching 

 the toes with a file ; but these will grow out in time. 



Birds can be branded when a few months old, but 

 the skin is then very thin, and the operation must be 

 done with care. 



When the birds are three years old, some of the 

 hens will endeavour to get out of the camp and go off, 

 generally in a northerly dii'ection ; and it is astonishing 

 what places they viill get through at this time, though 

 up to this period if bred on the farm a very moderate 

 fence will have sufficed. But where up-country birds 

 are brought coast-Avise, for months thoy will try their 

 utmost to get away northwards — sticking to the north 



