REARING PRIZE STOCK. 153 



the quickest, especially on the back and down the breast. In 

 most, the carriage of the cockerels is taller and more upright; 

 and in nearly all Asiatics the first wings of the little cockerels 

 are smaller, narrow, and pointed, and dark; while in the 

 pullets they are broader and rounded at the end, and, if 

 pencilled, with more marking on them. 



2. The combs may require to be carefully considered. 

 In breeds where large upright combs are desired in the 

 cockerels it is not easy to avoid twisting, falling over, or 

 thumb-marks, from either weakness or overgrowth. Both 

 are liable to be produced by either using much meat or by 

 warmth. It is very unadvisable to keep a cockerel of either 

 of the Mediterranean breeds under a hen after his comb has 

 begun to grow up at all, or in a warm brooder of the type 

 which has flannel over him. A brooder should be chosen 

 for such birds of the type where the chickens come round a 

 lamp or hot -water bottle, and this should be kept from 

 getting too hot. On the other hand, it of course helps a 

 fine and well-falling comb in the pullets, to give animal food 

 and rather more warmth. 



3. Vermin must be specially guarded against. Any such 

 not only affects health and growth terribly, but it specially 

 affects condition of plumage, the more so because when 

 show-time approaches it is not always advisable to allow 

 dusting, for fear a bath not absolutely clean and dry may 

 injure it. The chickens should be often examined, and a 

 liberal use made of insect powder if required. 



4. Colour and colour -feeding. As they begin to drop 

 their first or nestling feathers and grow the plumage in 

 which they will appear, its colour demands care and atten- 

 tion, as does also that of the shanks in yellow-legged breeds. 

 The most valuable help of all in this matter is plenty of 

 green shade, but in default of that, any shade. Much sun 

 tans white plumage, in cockerels especially ; and, perversely, 



