228 THE POULTRY-BOOK. 



after they are eight or ten days old. Pure water must be 

 placed near them, either in shallow dishes or bottle fountains, 

 that the chickens may drink without getting into the water, 

 which, by wetting their feathers, benumbs and injures them. 

 After having confined them for five or six days in the box, 

 they may be allowed the range of the yard, if the weather is 

 fair. They should not be let out of their coops too early, in 

 tho morning, or whilst the dew is on the ground ; far less be 

 suffered to range over the wet grass, which is a common and 

 fatal cause of disease and death. Another cause of the utmost 

 consequence to guard them against is sudden unfavorable 

 changes of the weather, more particularly if attended with 

 rain. Nearly all the diseases of gallinaceous fowls arise from 

 cold moisture. 



At the end of four weeks, the hen may be allowed to lead 

 her little ones into the poultry-yard, where she will soon leave 

 them and commence laying again." 



The first feathering of chickens. This is the most trying 

 time with chickens of all breeds. If chickens feather rapidly 

 when very young, (as is the case with the Golden Pheasant, 

 Black Poland, Guelderland, etc., etc.,) they are always weakly, 

 however healthy in other respects, from the fact that their food 

 goes to sustain their feathers instead of their bodies ; and they 

 frequently languish and die, from this circumstance alone ; but 

 if, on the other hand, they feather slowly, (as is the case with 

 the Shanghaes Pride of Indias, Plymouth Rocks, Cochin 

 Chinas, etc., etc.,) the food in early life goes to nourish and 

 sustain their bodies until they become more vigorous, and old 

 enough to sustain the shock of feathering without detriment. 

 This is the reason why the pure Fawn-colored Dorkings are 

 easier raised than others of the race simply because they 

 feather more slowly. This, too, accounts for the extraordinary 

 healthiness of the Yankee Game fowl they feather very 



