Light Brahmas .. Typical Meat Fowls 



Ornamental Breeds are not, from an economical standpoint, desirable 

 fowls for the farmer to raise. Bantams, Sultanas, Crested Polish, Ham- 

 burgs, Houdans and Exhibition Games are a few of the breeds of orna- 

 mental fowls. While these breeds delight the eye, they are not regarded 

 as popular from a producing standpoint. 



In selecting chickens, it is never advisable to mix breeds, nor is it best 

 to mix varieties of the same breed. In-bred fowls are very inferior to 

 pure-bred ones, and it is safe to say that a large per cent of the disap- 

 pointments in the production of eggs and chickens is due to in-breeding. 

 In-bred chickens are under-sized, poor layers, and, if the in-breeding 

 continues for a number of years, as is the case on most farms, the chick- 

 ens are hardly worth their feed. The writer advises the selection of one 

 or two breeds, preferably two, and that they be kept entirely separate 

 during the breeding season. If one breed is egg-producing and the 

 other a general-purpose fowl, the eggs of the former can be hatched 

 under general-pui-pose hens and the young chickens are certain to be 

 well cared for. 



Feeding 



The importance of feeding is a problem that requires scientific knowl- 

 edge of the fowl's requirements, whether the aim is to produce meat or 

 eggs, and coupled with that, common sense is indispensable. Fowls 

 require a food composed of three constituents or substances, namely, 

 mineral matter, nitrogenous matter and carbonaceous matter, and they 

 must be proportioned so that the most economical results will be 

 obtained. By carefully studying the habits of the chicken, the farmer 

 will be able to know its requirements at all seasons of the year. Every 

 one knows that the hen does the best laying in the spring and early 

 summer. This is because she instinctively selects the proper diet. 



