COCIUX-CIIIN'A.3.] 



POULTRY. 



[COCllIN-cillNAS. 



after a few momenta of uneasinosa, carefully 

 roll her possible chicken up into ono corner of 

 her pen, frequently aliorda consiJenible aniuae- 

 ment to the loolcor-on. 



As to tlio fecuntlity of the China fowl, it is 

 thus testilied to, by tlie Rev. W. W. Winlield. 

 He says — "A rcnuirkiiblo instance of the 

 merits of Cochin-Chinas, as layers, has just 

 come before me. A young Punchard hen was 

 brou<;lit homo on tlie 2lth of last December. 

 She laid on the 25th, and continued to do so, 

 till, in 90 days, 95 eggs were laid : 10 more 

 eggs were then laid in 20 days — making, in 

 all, 105 eggs in IIG days ; she then sat and 

 reared a brood." Mr. F. W. Rust, of Stow- 

 market, Sull'olk, says that ho had a hen, which, 

 ou two occasions, laid two eggs in ono day ; 

 the first time on the IGth of April, within 

 three hours, and the last on the 12th of June, 

 within the hour. Captain W. "VV. Hornby, 

 H.N., of Knowsley Cottage, Prescot, Lan- 

 cashire, reared pale buS'-coloured Cochin- 

 Chiua cockerels of the very first class ; and 

 states that one of bis hens laid two e2:2;s in 



DO 



one day, but that she did not lay on the 

 following. The eggs of the Cochin-China 

 are not quite so large as those laid by the 

 Malay, and the colour is generally a pale 

 chocolate, or yellowish-white ; but some are 

 nearly white. They have a very delicate flavour. 



An essential object in the hatching of these 

 birds, is to infuse fresh blood into your stock, 

 by purchasing a fine young cock, or eggs of I 

 good breed from some party on whose stock i 

 reliance may be placed. As eggs obtained in j 

 town are often inferior, try to get them from 

 the country ; and, if possible, see the parents. '■ 

 The eggs will carry perfectly safe, if placed in ' 

 a box, with the large end uppermost, and well 

 bedded in bran — not sawdust, as the turpen- ! 

 tine may injuriously affect them. 



The usual time of sitting and hatching is ' 

 from nineteen to twenty-two days ; but it may 

 be a day sooner or later. If, however, an 

 unusual delay takes place, it may be attributed 

 to staleness of the eggs, or unsteadiness of the 

 sitter at the commencement of sitting. Some- 

 times young chicks, from various causes, die 

 in the shell, either from some fault in the parent 

 birds, or the eggs having been stale ; from 

 want of warmth or steadiness in the sitter ; or 

 from their being put in a situation which is 



too dry. But tho uHme mischances are 

 likely to occur with other birds. If tho eggs 

 aro fresh, they do not require a longer time 

 for hatching than those of ordinary i'owU; 

 but instances have occurred of a couple of daya 

 longer being required for tho purpose of in- 

 cubation. As sitter and nurse, tho Cochin- 

 Cliiria hen ia decidedly superior to tho Malay, 

 tho length of the limb of which makes her aii 

 awkward sitter, wliilat it also renders tho taak 

 irksome to her. The hens should be set early 

 in spring, and not later than tho middle of 

 April. But if in March, it allows a chance of 

 mild open weather during April ; and thb 

 birds will bo finer grown in tho ensuing 

 autumn than if hatched later. Cochin-China 

 hens are kind and attentive mothers to their 

 young brood, and generally remain with them 

 for a week or ten days after beginning to lay, 

 which is usually one month after hatching. 



Mr. Broughton Kingston, of Eieter, a suc- 

 cessful breeder of the Cochin fowl, gives tho 

 following results of his experience : — " I com- 

 menced with a pair of young fowls, whose 

 grand-parents were imported birds. Tho 

 pullet began to lay on January 14th : on 

 March 3rd she hatched sixteen chickens, and 

 again began laying when these were five weeks 

 old. On May 27th she brought out another 

 fine brood, and recommenced laying in about 

 a month. On August 12th she hatched a 

 third brood ; and in six weeks laid again. In 

 October she wished to sit a fourth time ; but, 

 being so late in the season, I prevented her. 

 On the 13th of December, 1851, she again began 

 to lay, and continued to produce her daily 

 Qgg, having laid, that year, 101; eggs. Of tho 

 March brood, some of the pullets began to lav 

 when about eight months old ; and several of tho 

 cockerels weigh about 9.} lbs. ; cockerels of the 

 May brood, about G lbs. As regards the iiardy 

 nature of the breed, I need say no more than 

 that I have not lost a single chick from ill- 

 ness." 



After setting his hens, the breeder should 

 be careful to have them oft' their nests at stated 

 times, and see that they are liberally fed with 

 barley and soaked bread. The strongest 

 chickens come from the eggs of hens twelve 

 months old, or the second season of their 

 laying. To have a healthy stock, cock birds 

 should be changed every two years, and never 



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