POULTRY. 



Probably the most beautiful of all the breeds is 

 the Hamburg, of which there are at least five 

 varieties namely, golden-pencilled, silver-pen- 

 cilled, golden- spangled, silver-spangled, and black. 



The Hamburg fowl, from its beauty of plumage 

 and tendency to frequent laying, has gradually 

 become a great favourite amongst poultry-fanciers, 

 and is pretty widely distributed, not only through- 

 out the British Islands, but over the continent of 

 Europe and the United States. Its symmetry is 

 surpassed, perhaps, only by that of the game 

 fowls, and it is unrivalled as to the number of eggs 

 it produces. Naturally somewhat wild, the cocks 

 are keen fighters. 



In reference to the Hamburgs, Mr Edward Lowe 

 of Combesford, a successful prize-taker, says : ' I 

 have never been able to ascertain the exact num- 

 ber of eggs that one hen will lay in a year, but I 

 know that some of them have produced more than 

 200. Under very favourable circumstances, a 

 single hen might produce at least 250 ; but I 

 should say about 170 would be the average for 

 any given number of fowls. True-bred Hamburgs 

 never shew any inclination to sit ; and this, which 

 is considered by many one of their best qualities, 

 might prove a serious difficulty to many poultry- 

 keepers who are not able to keep another sort of 

 hens as incubators.' 



The golden-pencilled variety seems the greatest 

 favourite with many. The black variety is said to 

 be the most profitable, though the least beautiful 

 of the five different sorts. 



The Cochin- China fowl, upon which such sums 

 have been expended, created a great sensation 

 amongst all classes of breeders. The great mania 

 was in 1852, when it was not uncommon to hear 

 of 10, ^20, or even ^50 and upwards, being 

 demanded for a good cock and hen ; but latterly 

 that extravagant mania has, like many others, in 

 a great measure ceased ; and the market value of 

 the bird is now such as to place it within the range 

 of the humbler classes of poultry-keepers. The 

 plumage is gay in colour, and soft and yielding to 

 the touch ; in size and weight, it surpasses every 

 other variety ; the comb is of moderate size, and 

 notched, and the wattles double ; the head is 

 small and narrow, the legs of medium length, and 

 covered with feathers to the toes. It may be said 

 to be all body, and no tail or wings, those append- 

 ages being almost wanting; hence the Cochin- 

 China is by no means so graceful an ornament to 

 the poultry-yard as the Hamburg or Dorking 

 varieties. Nor is it so healthy and hardy as 

 some other descriptions of birds. Where, how- 

 ever, proper attention can be paid to them, the 

 Cochin- Chinas are profitable birds. The hens 

 are excellent layers and good sitters, and their 

 fecundity is remarkable. 



The Brahmaputra fowl is believed by many to 

 be closely related to the Cochin-China, being 

 very like it in shape and size. The comb, how- 

 ever, of the Brahma fowl is different from that of 

 the Cochin, and so are the bird's habits. Mr 

 Mollison, factor, Dochfour, Inverness, who has 

 recently issued an able treatise on Poultry, more 

 particularly the farmer's fowl, thus describes the 

 Brahma : ' The comb of a Brahma cock has the 

 appearance of three small combs, that in the 

 centre being the highest The Brahma hen is an 

 excellent layer, and lays freely in winter, which 

 enhances her value. A Brahma hen, if fairly fed, 



rarely sits until she has laid forty to forty-five eggs, 

 and that generally in about fifty days. Brahma 

 cocks have been known to weigh from fourteen to 

 sixteen pounds. This breed, which comes very 

 early to maturity, is very suitable for those who 

 have of necessity a confined poultry-yard. 



The Bantam fowl is a perfect parcel of symmetry, 

 conceit, and pugnacity. It is well known for its 

 diminutive size, courageous habits, and great 

 activity. Originally a native of India, it should 

 have a rose comb, a full tail, and a lively carriage, 

 and should not weigh above one pound. The 

 chief varieties are gold and silver laced, white, and 

 black. The nankeen-coloured and black are said 

 to be most prized. If well fed, the bantam hen 

 will lay well even in winter, and considering the 

 size of the animal, the eggs are astonishingly 

 large, and contain a great proportion of yolk. 

 The flesh of this tidy little bird is delicious. Mr 

 Dickson thus truly writes of the bantam : ' It is a 

 beautiful example of a great soul in a little body. 

 It is the most pugnacious of its whole tribe. It 

 will drive to a respectful distance great dunghill 

 cocks five times its weight It is more jealous, 

 irascible, and domineering, in proportion to its 

 size, than the thorough-bred game-cock himself. 

 Its combativeness, too, is manifested at a very 

 early period. The black bantam, in his appear- 

 ance, is a pleasing little fellow. He should have 

 a full rose comb, clean and sinewy legs, glossy 

 plumage, with almost metallic lustre, of a different 

 tint to the glancing green of the Spanish fowl, 

 arched and flowing tail, waggish impudent eye, self- 

 satisfied air and gait. The hen is of a duller jetty 

 black, is less knowing in her manner, and, I think, 

 in every way of inferior capacity.' 



The Houdan fowl, a great favourite in France, 

 is gradually growing in numbers and popularity 

 in Britain. It is a portly bird, resembling a little 

 the Dorking, having the fifth toe, short legs, a 

 comb almost divided into two. The cock has 

 very long wattles. Its head is surmounted by a 

 bunch of small fine feathers, which tend almost 

 to blind the fowl The hens are excellent layers, 

 and the breed altogether is reputedly hardy. 



The Crevecceur, also a French fowl, is being 

 introduced into this country, and is characterised 

 by a crest on the top of its head similar to the 

 Houdan. The cock has long pendent wattles. 

 The body of it, on account of the exceedingly 

 short legs, appears nearer the ground than does 

 that of almost any other species of the domesti- 

 cated fowl It is a good table-fowl, and the hen is 

 a fair layer. 



Another French fowl of comparatively recent 

 introduction into Britain is La Fleche, which 

 is a large black bird, not so stylish or rich in 

 plumage as the Spanish, but larger in size, and 

 stands higher. The face is white, and the wattles 

 long. The hen is a good layer. 



Hen-homes. 



The hen-houses in this country have been by 

 far too long of an inadequate, uncomfortable 

 description. Much improvement has in compara- 

 tively recent years been effected in this important 

 respect, but throughout a considerable breadth of 

 the inland and rural districts, there are still, unfor- 

 tunately, many miserably constructed hen-houses. 



Until proper housing accommodation is pro- 

 vided, the sort of prejudice that exists with many 



