152 THE PRACTICAL POULTRY KEEPER. 



chickens cannot be reared without it, their plumage in 

 particular being of a very inferior appearance, and quite 

 devoid of that beautiful u bloom " which is now indispensable 

 to success in the show-pen. 



It is necessary to give one more caution. Do not let 

 large chickens roost too soon never before they are at least 

 three months old. If they leave the hen before the proper 

 age for roosting, let them have every night a good bed of 

 nice clean dry ashes or peat moss. We never allowed our 

 own chickens while with the hen to bed upon straw ; ashes 

 are much cleaner, and if supplied an inch deep are warmer 

 also. To this plan we attribute a very small proportion of 

 losses, even in very severe weather. When larger, straw 

 makes a very good bedding ; but it must be shaken up with 

 a fork every night, and renewed and the floor cleaned every 

 three days. 



With such treatment and good shelter, if the stock be 

 good and the number has been judiciously limited, the 

 breeder will not fail to bring a fair proportion through the 

 most inclement season, and they will be sure to reach a 

 good standard in point of size, having the best time of the 

 year before them when they really begin to grow. As they 

 come on they require special looking after in several 

 respects. 



i. The sexes require pretty early separation, the more so 

 the smaller the runs. This affects the question of size most 

 materially in the larger breeds, and even in the smaller it 

 prevents youngsters giving themselves the airs of adults at 

 two months old, as they often will, and persecuting the 

 pullets, which are brought on to lay too early and ruined in 

 condition before the exhibition season comes round. In 

 most breeds the sex can be determined at a very early age. 

 As a rule, of course, the heads of cockerels are larger and 

 bolder, and combs higher. In most breeds the pullets fledge 



