38 PROPORTION OF COCKS. 



quiet of a poultry-yard are also in favour of 

 a small number. In my own case, I am 

 anxious to raise a few chickens only, and to 

 obtain the largest possible quantity of eggs ; 

 from various experiments, I should suppose 

 that one cock to twelve or fifteen hens is 

 quite sufficient. 



Mr. W. B., who lives in the southern part 

 of this state, and has a poultry-yard of from 

 eighty to one hundred hens, keeps no cock 

 whatever. He is certain that he gets more 

 eggs, and he thinks that the presence of the 

 male only induces the hens to sit. He cares, 

 of course, nothing about chickens. He 

 buys every autumn enough of these to re- 

 place those of an older growth, and keeps 

 none longer than two years. 



As most persons, however, who keep 

 fowls, prefer to raise their own chickens, 

 the better plan is to keep a few cocks with- 

 in the limits recommended above, and to 

 keep none longer than two or three years. 



