THE POULTRY YARD. 



223 



without selection. In selecting fowls to breed from, it is 

 better that the sexes should be in no way related, the hens 

 should be over a year old, rather than younger, and the 

 male bird is better at two or three years than at one. 

 Never use males of one year old if older ones can be had. 

 If there exists any imperfection which should cause a bird 

 to be rejected as a breeder, it will usually be seen 

 distinctly in the second year, while in the bird of less than 

 a year it migrht not be noticed. But for ordinary purposes, 

 good physique in both the male bird and the hens are the 

 main requirements. For stud purposes, five hens and a 

 male bird make a nice pen. For the smaller breeds, 6 to 

 8 hens may be allowed. Where practicable, the male bird 

 should be smaller than the hens. 



PJaiii Brooding Pens. 



Eggs and Places for Setting. The eggs must be 

 quite fresh. When over eight days old, in the summer 

 season, the progeny will be weak to a certainty. To 

 carry eggs a long distance, pack them in bran or sawdust. 

 They carry better by road or on horseback than by 

 steamer. The shaking of a vessel at sea generally 

 proves destructive to the reproductive properties of the 



