No. 14. 



Raising Foxdtrij. 



33: 



Raisiug Poultry'— Domestic Povrls. 



The varieties of the common fowl are very 

 numerous, and distinguished from one ano- 

 ther by their size, color, and fecuodity. 



1. The gilme-fowl is a very singular crea- 

 ture on account of its habits. Size less than 

 that of the common fowl, symmetry of its 

 limbs greater, and the beauty of its plumage 

 remarkable, when not mutilated for the bar- 

 barous sport for which it is destined. Its 

 flesh is white, and esteemed beyond tliat of 

 all the common kinds for its delicacy and fla- 

 vor; but the singular pugnacity of disposition, 

 which shows itself at tiie earliest period of 

 life, deters all breeders rearing it except for 

 the purpose of gaming. Whole broods, 

 scarce feathered, become blind from continu- 

 ed fighting. They cannot be employed for 

 crossing tiie common fowl. 



2. Tiie Dorking-fowls, so named from a 

 town in Surrey, are tiie largest and finest of 

 our domestic breed. Their color is wholly 

 white, their body is capacious, and they are 

 prolific layers of eggs. Tliey are distin- 

 guished by having five claws on each foot. 



3. Equal to the Dorking in estimation, are 

 the Poland fowls. Their color is black, 

 heads flat, and surmounted witli a crown of 

 feathers. \ They are a very useful variety, 

 prolific of eggs, but less inclined to set, than 

 those of any otjier breed. 



4. The Bantum is a little Indian breed, 

 very delicate to eat, but, from the smallness 

 of its size, not of any economical importance. 



5. The Chitogong or Malay fowl, is the 

 largest variety of the species, but the flesh 

 is regarded as inferior to those described. — 



When it is wished to form a breed of tijwis, 

 the breeding should be from a young stock. 

 Hens are at their prime at three years old, 

 and decline after the age of five. Tkr best 

 period to coinnience breeding is in the 

 spring — Low. The number of hens to one 

 male should be from four to six, the latter be- 

 ing the extreme number, with a view of ma- 

 king the utmost advantage, altiiough ton and 

 even twelve have been formerly allowed. 



POULTRY HOUSES, YARD, &C. 



The situation of the poultry house should 

 be dry, and exposed either to tiie east or 

 soutli-east, so as to enjoy the sun's ray's in 

 winter as soon he rises above tiie horizon — 

 Loudon. Where a set of houses are intend- 

 ed then, a situation sliould be fixed on, near 

 or close to tiie farm yard, and with ample 

 space around for the fowls to disperse over in 

 the day time, and one or more ponds for the 

 aquatic sorts. All must have access too 

 gravelled yard and to grass for range, and 

 have clear water near. Great attention 

 should be paid to cleanliness and whitewash- 

 ing, not for appearance but to destroy ver- 

 min — Arthur Young. 



Tlie following remarks are from Maubray's 

 work on Poultry: — " A space thirty by fifty 

 feet may be made choice offer the buildings 

 and yards ; tlie building may be ranged along 

 the north side, and the three other sides en- 

 closed with a trellis or slatted, or wire fence, 

 from six to eight feet in height, and subdivi- 

 ded witli similar fences, according to the 

 number of apartments. The hen house (« 

 fig. 37) and turkey house (i) may have the 



roosts (r, c) in part over the low houses for 

 ducks {d) and geese, (/, g, h) and besides 

 these there may be other apartments for 

 hatching, or for newly hatched broods, for 

 fattening, to serve as an hospital, or for re- 

 taining, boiling, and otlierwise preparing 

 food, killing poultry and other purposes. A 

 flue may pass through the whole for moist or 

 very severe weather ; and the windows ouglit 

 to have outward shutters, both for excluding 

 excessive heat and excessive cold. In every 

 apartment there ought to be a window oppo- 



site to the door, in order to create a thoroagh 

 draft, when botli are opened, and also a valve 

 in the roof, to admit the escape of the hottest 

 and lightest air. Every door ought to have a 

 small opening at tlie bottom, for the admis- 

 sion of the fowls when the door is shut. — 

 The elevation should be a simple style, and 

 there may be a pigeonry over the centre 

 building. The roost is sometimes a mere 

 floor or loft, to which the birds fly up or as- 

 cend by a ladder; at other times it is nothing 

 more than the coupling timbers of the roof, 



