750 Line Stock. Poultry. Fetch Modes of fattening of. 



about the time they are hatched. The period of fitting is ufuaily about ^twenty- 

 one days. 



Jn letting the hens the eggs fhould always be fuch as are new laid, and perfectly 



frefh, and the number fhould not exceed a dozen. While fitting, the hens fhould 



constantly have a fufficiency of food near them, in order that they need not be 



.taken from their nefts too great a length of time. In the time of hatching fome 



ad vife the removing the fir ft brought out chickens ; but -it is probably a better 



practice to let them remain, to be fupported by the natural warmth of the hen until 



the whole brood is out. At this time fome recommend their being put under a 



coop with the hen ; but where the poultry yards are well inclofed they may be 



-fuflered to follow the mother. Where there are more broods than one the coops 



:fhould not be placed too near each other, left the hens mould deftroy each other s 



.chickens. It is be ft to feed th echic kens firft with ficepcd rice, or fplit grits, with 



.boiled potatoes bruifed ; but afterwards the refufe wheat or barley may be given 



them with propriety,. after, having been boiled or fteeped forne time in water* 



The proportions in which thefe forts of food are confamed by young chickens 

 vary according to their fize ; but in general it may be reckoned from, one to two 

 .ounces per day, while they are in the early part of their growth, as from r..alf a 

 pound to two and a half pounds weight or more. In about ten or twelve wc.ks 

 .chickens moftly become pretty fully grown. It is neceifary to prevenr young 

 chickens as much as poffible from picking up flugs, fnails, and other fimilar ani 

 mals from the ground, and alfo to keep them as free as poflible from the wet, as 

 by thefe means they are extremely liable to become difeafed. 



Various directions have been given for the fattening of poultry; but the beft prac 

 tice is probably that of confining them for a few days in dry well-ventilated places, 

 which are .covered fo as in fome meafure to prevent the entrance of too much light, 

 the fowls being previoufly kept in good condition in the poultry -yards. In thefe 

 fituations they fhould be regularly fed three or four times in the courfe of the day 

 with well-fteamed potatoes, which are probably the cheapeft fort of food : as near 

 Liverpool, in Mr. Wakefield s practice, which is upon an extenlive fcale, it has 

 been attended with the moft complete fuccefs, the poultry thriving perfectly well. 

 Buck- wheat is likewife an ufeful and cheap food for this purpofe, either given 

 whole or ground into flour. Barley meal, ground malt, and alfo coarfe wheat-flour, 

 -when mixed up with milk, or, what is better, water, as milk runs quickly into 

 .a ftate of acidity,, have been much recommended in this intention. From fomc 



