Selection of Brood Hens. 1 5 7 



by a great difference in the production of eggs. Of course, 

 if the male birds are bred from hens that are known to be 

 good layers, then this will greatly facilitate the matter. 

 Therefore, where it is thought desirable to have laying birds 

 only, or, in places where eggs are most in demand, it is better 

 to have non-sitting fowls, such as Minorcas, Leghorns, 

 Andalusians, or Houdans, as these birds bave been bred as 

 layers for generations; and, their attention not being taken 

 off by maternal duties, they consequently are much better 

 layers. On the question of selecting hens for breeding table 

 fowls, very little more need be said, than what we have already 

 remarked in connection with the male birds, except that it 

 is important to choose quiet, contented fowls, as these will be 

 found to fatten up best of all ; restless birds never do this, 

 and as a consequence are not profitable. The breeds to be 

 chosen should be either La Fleche, Dorkings, Creve-coeurs, 

 Houdans, Langshans, Plymouth Rocks, or such crosses as 

 Game-Dorking. These must be selected in accordance 

 with the rules laid down in tbe chapter on laying out the 

 poultry-yard, where we spoke of the soil and position of the 

 poultry-yard, and the influence these must have upon the 

 breeds kept. 



Closely associated with the question of breed to be chosen, 

 is that of the general condition, and state of the birds selected 

 for breeding. Here we must emphatically warn our readers 

 against what we have indirectly mentioned before, namely, 

 that no bird tainted with disease, or organically deformed, 

 must be bred from in any way. Such diseases and defects 

 will be transmitted, probably in an intensified form, to the 

 descendants, which in their turn will probably be the means 

 of passing them on to others. There can be no question 

 that the breeding in of defects, or the transmission of disease, 

 are very easy matters, whilst the breeding of them out is 

 not only difficult, but often impossible. Stamina, and 



