A new Method of rearing Ponlfry. 1 23 



keeps them warm, by placing a long narrow tin vessel filled 

 tvith hot water at the back of the mother, which will retain 

 its heat for three hours, and is then renewed fresh from the 

 steamer. In the evening they are driven into their cai^es, 

 and resume their staiion at the hot wall, till thev are nearly 

 three weeks old, and able to go into a small room appropri- 

 ated to that purpose. The room is furnished with frames 

 similar to the artificial mothers, placed round the floor, and 

 with perches conveniently arranged for them to roost upon. 



When I first attempted to bring up poultry in the above 

 •way, I lost immense numbers by too great heat and suffo- 

 cation, owing to the roofs of the mothers not being suffi- 

 ciently ventilated ; and when that evil was remedied, I had 

 another serious one to encounter: I found chickens brought 

 up in this way did not thrive upon the food I gave them, 

 and many ot ihem died, till I thought of getting coarse bar- 

 ley-meal, and steaming it till quite soft : the boy feeds them 

 viththis and minced potatoes alternately; he is also em- 

 ployed rolling up pellets of dough, made of coarse wheat 

 flour, which he throws to the chickens to e.xcile them to eat, 

 thereby causing them to grow surprisingly. 



I was making the above experiments in the summer for 

 about two months; and during that time my hens produced 

 me upwards of five hundred chickens, four hundred of which 

 I reared fit for the table or market. I used a great many 

 made into pies for the family, and found them cheaper than 

 butcher's meat. Were I situated in the neighbourhood of 

 London, or any very populmis place. I am confident T coi.ld 

 make an immense profit, by rearing different kiruls of poul- 

 try in the above uiethod for the markets, and selJinp- them 

 on an average at the price of butchers' meat. 



A young person of twelve or fourteen years of age might 

 bring up in a season some thousands, and by adopting a 

 fence similar to the improved sheep-fold, almost any num- 

 ber might be cheaply reared, and with little trouble. Hens 

 Jcept as mine are, and having the same conveniences, will 

 readily set four Inies in a season, and by setting twice each 

 time, they would produce at the lowest calculation eiohty 

 chickens each, which would soon make ihcm very plentiful. 



If 



