POULTRY. 1073 



and stands ready for fight when molested by other male fowls. 

 Such cocks possess strong constitutions, and will surely trans- 

 mit their good qualities to their descendants. 



Eggs, or Market Poultry. " Which is the most profit- 

 able, eggs, or market poultry ? " is one of the questions that 

 those who contemplate going into the poultry business are sure 

 to ask, but it is not difficult to answer. Where the average 

 price of eggs is twenty cents per dozen, the farmer can profit- 

 ably keep fowls for eggs alone i. e., if he will get some of the 

 best hens of the non-sitting breed, run them on the high pressure 

 plan until their days of usefulness are past, then send them to 

 market and stock up again with pullets. But in localities where 

 the average price goes much below twenty cents the poultry 

 raiser should not depend on eggs alone for his profits. He should 

 get some one of the larger breeds, hatch the chicks early so as 

 to have pullets of a suitable age for fall and winter layers, sell 

 the surplus cockerels as soon as they are large enough for broil- 

 ers, and manage to turn off the old fowls when they will bring 

 the highest price. From one-half to two-thirds of the old hens 

 should be disposed of each year, and their places filled by 

 pullets. 



Management of Laying Hens. It is an easy matter to 

 care for laying hens in summer; a clean, well ventilated roost- 

 ing-place, free range if possible, a place where they can scratch 

 and dust themselves in dry earth, plenty of fresh water, and the 

 necessary amount of food, is all that the most exacting fowls re- 

 quire to keep them in good laying trim. When allowed free 

 range and insect forage is abundant, the fowls will thrive and 

 lay well on two scant meals each day. In the morning give a 

 light feed made of the scraps from the kitchen wet with boiling 

 water and thickened with wheat-bran ; at night, a little corn, oats, 

 or wheat. 



When confined, even to quite large runs, more food and a 

 greater variety will be necessary. Green food and meat of some 

 kind must also be given every day. The most acceptable green 

 food for fowls in confinement is chippings of young and tender 

 oats, grass, and millet. When plenty of milk can be had the 



