Determixation of Sex. 133 



in Game and Game Bantams * Long and careful breeding might, however, probably overcome 

 even these differences, as has been done with Silver-spangled Hamburghs, the best exhibition cocks 

 of which variety, some years since, had to be procured by cross-breeding, and often are still, but in 

 the yards of one or two of the best breeders are now produced by pure and good pullet-breeding 

 strains. 



It will also be found that in a decided preponderance of cases the cockerels of a brood chiefly 

 resemble the father, while the pullets " take after " the mother. Again there will be exceptions, 

 but this will be the general rule; and it harmonises well with what we have been considering 

 in the last paragraph, as from this point of view also, a cock presenting well the exhibition 

 characteristics will be the chief thing as regards colour in making up a "cock-breeding" pen, while 

 the best marked hens will be chiefly depended on for breeding pullets. At the same time, as will 

 already have been gathered from our remarks on the last page, there are in some breeds points 

 which careful observation can discover even in the cock, which chiefly influence the markings 

 of the pullets bred from him, and points in the hens which similarly afi'ect the character of the 

 cockerels. These, so far as known to us, we shall enter more fully into in treating of the various 

 breeds ; but there is doubtless more still to be discovered in this direction, and we would yet again 

 urge upon each one to study for himself those finer shades which furnish the materials for the 

 breeder's art, and thus endeavour, both for his own sake and for that of others, to add to the 

 existing knowledge of this interesting and important subject. 



With regard to the ages of the birds which are to be bred together, there is no universal rule. 

 Cocks and hens in their second season will always breed well together, and the chickens usually 

 fledge more kindly than the produce of either older or younger birds. The offspring of cockerels 

 and pullets mated together are worst in this particular, and in the large breeds are also more 

 subject to leg-weakness. A cockerel mated with adult hens is preferred by most amateurs, 

 and usually produces very vigorous and large chickens, but if only two or three hens be put 

 with him there is almost sure to be a preponderance of cockerels. An adult cock mated with 

 pullets is also a good arrangement. A valuable hen may be kept, and her eggs set as long as she 

 lays ; but except in rare cases, a cock is of little or no use after he is four years old, unless for 

 exhibition, for which purpose we have known birds preserved for seven years and even more. In 

 some cases, as we have hinted, productive vigour may be maintained beyond four years ; and so 

 long as a breeding bird of proved value shows indisputable hveliness and vigour it would be a pity 

 to discard him. 



We have hinted in the last paragraph that the breeder has some control over the sexes of hi? 

 produce, and we may repeat here more definitely that the following have long been verified by 

 general experience as ordinary rules, though numerous exceptions occur: — I. If a vigorous cockerel 

 be mated with not more than three adult hens, the cocks almost always largely predominate in at 

 least the early broods ; later this becomes uncertain. 2. If an adult cock be mated with not more 

 than three pullets the result is very uncertain, the one sex being as likely to occur as the other, 

 but usually there is a decided predominance on one side rather than equality. 3. If an adult 

 cock be mated with five or more pullets the pullets are generally in excess ; and what cockerels 

 there are wiir be most numerous in the earlier eggs. 4. Young birds or adult birds mated together 

 are very uncertain ; but the fewer hens and the more vigorous the stock, the greater is the pro- 

 portion of cockerels, which are always more numerous in the earlier eggs of a season than the later. 

 It is also a curious fact that chickens hatched late in the season are often perceptibly more short- 



• See the chapters on these breeds. ' -^.^ris.-^*.- 



