Management of Breeding Pens. 159 



We now come to the putting together of the breeding- 

 pens, and the management of the birds in them. In the 

 first place, there is the question of space to be given to them s 

 and it is here necessary to utter a warning — though we have 

 dwelt on the question of runs already — against the very 

 common practice, of putting breeding stock into very small 

 houses and runs. Nor do we, on the other hand, think the 

 system of breeding from the ordinary stock a wise one, as this 

 does not permit of the proper improvement of the stock, which 

 might otherwise take place. The best plan, is either of those 

 we have already recommended, namely, to have separate 

 houses in which the birds can be kept, or a row of houses with 

 large open runs. Weakly chickens are very often caused by 

 want of sufficient exercise on the part of the parents ; and it 

 will be found, that the more liberty that can be given to 

 the breeding stock, the hardier the chickens will be. There- 

 fore, it should be a rule, that, whether the laying fowls have 

 an abundance of room or not, the breeders must have plenty ; 

 and, upon no consideration, should the latter be cooped up in 

 small runs. We have given in a previous article, the smallest 

 amount of space necessary to keep birds in health and con- 

 dition, and this will be a guide to our readers in this respect. 

 A sufficient number of chickens can be bred from one pen 

 of fowls, in a single year, to stock a good-sized yard, and thus 

 it is worth while giving them sufficient room. 



Then it is a most important matter, that a cock and hen 

 mated together for breeding purposes, should not be related 

 to each other. A very large amount of harm has been done 

 by in-breeding, and the degeneracy of many of the races of 

 high class poultry, is entirely due to this practice. Poultry 

 fanciers, whose object is to obtain fine feather, or peculiar con- 

 formation, regardless of all commercial considerations, may, 

 if they think lit, resort to in-breeding, for they are willing to 

 pay the price ; but, those to whom it is necessary that their 



