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CROSSBREDS. 



For those who are partial to crosses the following are considered the 

 best : For table purposes, Indian Game - Dorking, Indian Game - Lang- 

 shan, Indian Game - Houdan, and Indian Game - Orpington ; Old 

 English Game also can be used with great advantage for producing table 

 poultry. For laying and general purposes, Leghorn Plymouth Rock, 

 Leghorn-Houdan, Houdan-Wyandotte, Leghorn-Orpington, and Leg- 

 horn- Wyandotte. 



In all crosses use a male of the breed first named. 



BREEDING CROSSBREDS. 



It is necessary to use a male of a different breed each year for at least 

 three years in succession when crossing fowls, or they will quickly become 

 mongrelised. Example: First year, Plymouth Rock; second year, Or- 

 pington; third year, Wyandotte; then the Plymouth Rock may be used 

 again, and so on. 



Never breed from a crossbred male. 



RISKS OF INBREEDING. 



It is frequently asked whether there is any harm in breeding from 

 a cockerel and pullet that have been hatched from the same sittings 

 of eggs. Breeding from a full brother and sister is, of course, wrong, 

 but the probability of such a close relationship between two birds from 

 the same sitting is very remote, the chances being about 30 to 1. Where 

 eggs are obtained from the Government stations the chances are still 

 more remote, as three or four unrelated pens of birds are usually kept 

 at each station, and eggs are selected in order to minimise as far as 

 possible the chances of inbreeding. 



BEST LAYERS. 



The best laying-hens are the most active those that will do the most 

 scratching in the garden if given an opportunity. They are the first 

 off the perch in the morning, and last on at night. They have generally 

 small heads and bright eyes; select these to breed from. Those that 

 have large heads and overhanging eyebrows will be found loitering about 

 waiting to be fed; relegate such to the table without delay. Long 

 beaks and long narrow heads denote a poor constitution. 



A good method of discovering bad layers is to make occasional visits 

 to the fowlhouse at night; lift each bird from the perch, those that are 

 found above the average weight of their breed should be culled out and 

 sent to the market, as they will almost invariably prove to be drones. 

 Good layers will never be found very fat. 



Assuming that sufficient food is given, those found to be very light, 

 with shrivelled comb, should also be discarded they are wasters. 



The laying of each bird can be exactly ascertained by the use of trap- 

 nests. These appliances are inexpensive, and can be made by any one 

 possessed of a little ingenuity. Both the trap-nests which are illustrated 

 are efficient; their working is explained over the respective figures. 

 Trap-nests also enable hens to be identified which lay badly shaped, 

 double-yolked, or infertile eggs. 



