EARLY CHICKENS. 331 



There can be no debate about the importance of hatching 

 out Chickens early in the season, and it is equally important 

 to the farmer, who raises for profit, and the " Fancier/' who 

 desires to show some fine specimens each year. 



It is well known that " spring Chickens" always command 

 a high price, and there is rarely a supply to be obtained. You 

 have doubtless seen, in the month of June, pairs of birds ex- 

 posed for sale, which, upon inquiry, you found to be ' spring 

 Chickens/ and the price seventy-Jive cents or upwards per pair. 

 These Chicks were probably hatched out in the month of 

 March or April ; and, of course, the owner had very little time 

 to put flesh upon their bones, to say nothing of fat : still they 

 were worth in the market, seventy-Jive cents. Now, suppose for 

 a moment, the birth of these Chickens could be dated back to 

 January, or even earlier, and brought to market in May or 

 June, plump and fat as Reed Birds. We would not have been 

 compelled to inquire of our friend the farmer, what description 

 of bird he had for sale, for their well-defined proportions 

 would have, at the first glance, informed you to what species 

 they belonged; and it is difficult to say what price you would 

 have been asked to pay for them. 



But, asks our friend the farmer, how am I to raise Chickens 

 in the winter months ? I will tell you, my friend ; and when 

 you hear my answer, you will wonder you never thought of the 

 same plan before. Place a small stove in your chicken-house, 

 which can be heated with chips and wood, that otherwise might 

 rot around your wood-pile ; and, by this means, you can keep 

 up a temperature of 55 degrees, and raise Chickens just as 

 well (better, in my opinion, and with much less loss, than 

 when allowed to roam through the wet grass in spring and 

 summer,) as later in the season. Then again, those Fowls* you 



* Good Shanghae or Cochin China fowls will begin to lay when 

 about five and a half or six months old. This with great certainty, 

 especially if the season be favourable. Ed. 



