2^6 Tut Illustrated Book of Pocltrv. 



found, at present, that the Light variety is most valuable, both as a table bird and as a layer ; and 

 if the Dark be chosen, the stock should be carefully bred and chosen by the oivtier himself, with 

 reference to the neglected points, by which means a vast improvement may be rapidly effected. 

 The chickens must be fed well, but the appetites of the adult birds should never be satisfied. If 

 their food — all being bought — costs more than three-halfpence per week each, with barley at five 

 shillings per bushel, they have too much ; and over-feeding is especially prejudicial to profit in this 

 breed of fowls. The pullets should be instantly checked the first time or two they desire to incubate 

 (unless sitters are actually wanted), when they will generally lay again in less than a fortnight ; and 

 by doing this, and setting, as already advised, the eggs from those which show the propensity least, 

 it can be so modified as not to be troublesome, and a very valuable strain of fowls secured. 



The Brahma is very valuable as a cross. With the Dorking cock it produces a splendid market 

 fowl, with generally white legs, and the largest that can perhaps be produced. We have seen this 

 cross condemned again and again by unpractical writers ; but we abide by it, and have numerous 

 letters speaking to its great value. One gentleman writes us just as these pages go to press that his 

 Brahma-Dorkings " are the admiration of the whole county," and that many neighbouring farmers 

 are going to follow his example ; and others send similar accounts of the result. The cross between 

 a Brahma cock and Dorking hen is not, however, nearly so good, either in size, hardiness, fecundity, 

 or quality of meat. With the Creve cock the Brahma hen produces. a fowl not so large as the 

 Dorking cross, but of whiter and still more juicy quality of meat. The La Fleche cock produces very 

 similar results. The Houdan cock produces a smaller fowl than either, but of very early maturity, 

 capital quality of meat, and a most excellent la>er. And, finally, the cross with a Spanish or 

 Minorca cock and Dark Brahma hens produces a fowl, generally almost or quite black excepting 

 gold margins to the hackles, which as a layer can hardly be surpassed, of a tall, commanding 

 appearance, and very good eating, with only a moderate propensity to crow. This last cross is one 

 of the most satisfactory fowls possible to keep for eggs and a few chickens, in the smoke of a town; 

 the eggs being far superior to the pure Spanish in flavour, besides being yielded, as a rule, in greater 

 numbers, and at seasons when the Spanish will hardly lay at all. 



There are two affections to which Brahmas are rather more subject than other breeds. The 

 first is a tendency of the two outer toes to be webbed together, which we believe to have been 

 derived from the strain of a leading exhibitor some years back, having never noticed it before, 

 or in any yard since which had not employed a cross from the one in question. Most cases of this 

 deformity admit of cure if the membrane between the toes be divided at about three weeks old, an 

 pperation which causes only momentary pain ; but if left, one or other toe is generally hopelessly 

 deformed. The other is a tumour at the point of the breast-bone, which, in our opinion, is 

 generally caused by the Brahma's prominent breast being brought in contact with the hard perch. 

 It is not very common, but almost every breeder who roosts his chickens will have one or two cases 

 annually. It commences as a small sac filled with watery fluid ; but sometimes the tumour is of a 

 cheesy consistence, or one form may pass into the other. Any cheesy matter should be extracted ; 

 but all that is needed for the watery form is the simple treatment advised by Mr. Joseph Hinton, 

 of drawing two coarse woollen threads, as setons, through the sac, and retaining them for a 

 fortnight, moving a little daily. The bird should be prevented perching meanwhile. 



We have occasionally seen deformed bills in Brahmas. Mr. Hinton states that he has noticed 

 them as a consequence of in-breeding in Brahmas, Polish, and Malays. In the case of Brahmas, 

 however, we have known it occur where two quite distinct strains have been crossed ; and it is 

 hence another very strong proof of the whole race being descended, as I\Ir. Cornish affirms, from 

 one pair of birds. 



