4O THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



widely distributed that the common or mongrel fowls of the 

 country are enormously improved compared with what we 

 remember in our youth ; and so far as domestic results go, 

 equal success may now be attained with good ordinary or 

 " barn-door " fowls. Care must be taken in the selection. 

 They should be young, sprightly-looking birds, and for 

 laying, with nice tight-looking plumage. They ought to 

 be chosen from a country yard where their parents have 

 been well fed. If such be obtained, they will repay the 

 purchaser, and are handsomer and better every way than 

 inferior birds of the " fancy " class. Of course this last 

 remark does not apply to mere faults of colour. Fowls are 

 often to be met with at a moderate price, which from some 

 irregularity of feather are quite disqualified as show birds, 

 but which possess all the economic merits of the breed to 

 which they belong. 



Before concluding, it may be expected that something 

 definite should be said respecting the actual profit of domestic 

 poultry-keeping. It is extremely difficult to make any such 

 statement, so much depends upon the price of food, upon 

 the management, selection of stock, and value of eggs. 

 But in general we have found the average cost of fowls, 

 when properly fed, to be about id. per week each for 

 smaller sorts, and not exceeding ifd. per week for the 

 larger breeds ; when the cost is more we should suspect 

 waste. A good ordinary hen ought to lay 120 eggs in a 

 year, and if good laying breeds are selected there ought to 

 be an average of fully 150, not reckoning the cock. Of 

 course, good management is supposed, and a regular 

 renewal of young stock, as already insisted upon. For 

 domestic purposes eggs ought to be valued at the price 

 of new-laid, and from these data each can make his own 

 calculation. 



Let the whole undertaking (large or small) be conducted 



