64 



THE BANTAM FOWL. 



MODERN METHODS. 

 The Bantam Fancier of To-day an Expert, 



No branch of the poultry interest has gone forward so 

 fast as has the breeding of Bantams. From one end of the 

 globe to the other they are kept and cared for by the most 

 expert in producing the very highest type of perfection in 

 fowls. In the show catalogues of to-day we see among the 

 names on the list of Bantam classes, those of millionaires, 

 professional men, men of leisure and culture; and the spec- 

 imens shown are far in advance of any former efforts in this 

 line. Popularity has come to these little beauties, and in 



FIG. 7— DOUBLE OPEN COOP 6x8, MAKING TWO APARTMENTS 4x6 FEET. 

 FOR 100 CHICKS. 



many instances marvelous values are placed upon and paid 

 for the best. 



There is an inclination to huckster a little in this line, 

 and entirely too many inferior specimens are being scat- 

 tered all over the country at low prices. Not cheap prices, 

 for many of 'them are high at any price. These go into the 

 hands of those not well informed, and it spoils them for 

 something better. It is to be hoped that the united efforts 

 of fanciers all over the country will stamp out entirely the 

 selling of poor quality Bantams at any price, and thus ele- 

 vate them so that those who love the fancy may feel secure 

 that they h.ive only good quality. 



English fanicers have given much attention to the 

 breeding of Bantams, and that all may have the beneifit of 

 their experience, we copy from "The Feathered World" some 

 hints by Mr. Proud, an expert in this line. On hatching he 

 writes: 



"Don't attempt to hatch and rear Bantam chicks by arti- 

 ficial means, for you cannot do it with any degree 'of suc- 

 cess. Incubators and foster mothers are all right for the 

 larger breeds of fowls. I don't say that you cannot hatch 

 Bantam eggs by incubators, as with a good reliable machine 

 and careful attention daily you can obtain very fair results, 

 but the Bantam chick hatched by artificial incubation will 

 be found a very fragile, puny little mite that will be quite 

 an impossibility to rear, and during his brief sojourn in this 

 world will be a misery to both himself and an eyesore to' 

 those around him. 



In the first place, I will select a suitable broody hen, 

 which is one of the most important features in rearing Ban- 

 tams. It is useless putting a big hen of five or seven pounds 

 weight on Bantam eggs, for even should she be fortunate 

 enough not to smash the lot during the period of incubation, 

 she would in all probability crush the life out of the whole 

 brood within a week of hatching. 



It was only the other day I received a letter from a 

 young fancier, written in jubilant spirits, on having hatched 

 twelve lovely chicks; but alas! within three days another 

 letter reached me informing me of the demise of nine out 

 of the twelve, and doubtless by the time this appears the 

 other three will have ended their brief career by being 

 trampled to death by a big hen. You might as well put 

 Bantam eggs under a turkey and hope for a good result. 



Years ago I was greatly troubled over sitting hens breaking 

 eggs and trampling chicks to death, so I determined to rem- 

 edy the grievance by rearing suitable hens for hatching Ban- 

 tam eggs. 



What I did was to purchase three or four Buff Pekin 

 hens, which cost me 5s each, and these I matched to a Black 

 Faced White Silky cock, and from this pen I hatched some 

 twenty or thirty pullets, which for sitters and mothers are 

 worth their weight in gold. Sit, why they'd sit in the mid- 

 dle of the road on a few small ston«s; or, if you are hard 

 up for room, you can put them on the top shelf in the scul- 

 lery or on the mantleplece, and they will sit from three 

 weeks to three months if required. They will sit anywhere, 

 and, as a rule, will rear two or three broods of chicks each 

 year, for I hav6 never known them to lay more than a 

 dozen eggs before becoming broody, and are so quiet and 

 reliable that no Bantam fancier should be without them. 

 Having secured a suitable hen, which should not weigh 

 more than three pounds at most, before putting her on the 

 nest give her a good sprinkling with insect powder, and see 

 that she is perfectly healthy, and, if possible, not scaly- 

 legged. This latter point is of great importance, especially 

 whsre smooth, clean-legged chicks are a necessity, as in 

 Game Bantams. I fancy I hear many of my readers say: 

 "But what effect can a scaly-legged broody hen have on the 

 chicks she rears?" My answer is, a very marked effect; and 

 if you have never had scaly-legged chicks before you can 

 depend upon having them the first brood you rear under 

 a scaly-legged hen. This is a wrinkle, and you would do 

 well to bear it in mind. 



Now as regards nests. I very rarely use anything ex- 

 cept the usual orange boxes which can be purchased from 

 any of the green grocers for 2d or 3d. I lay these down on 

 their sides and nail a strip of wood about four inches deep 

 along the front. You will then have three good roomy 

 nests. The next thing to do is to gdt plenty of nice soft 

 hay and make a nest in the shape of a large basin, i. e., hol- 

 low in the middle and niriely rounded at the sides, to prevent 

 the eggs from rolling out when the hen leaves the nest to 

 partake of food. 



Having put the hen on the nest, give her a dummy egg 

 or two until she is properly settled down, which should not 

 take more than a few hours. If at the end of that time she 

 does not attempt to fly off when you place your hand under 



HOUS1-: wriH four breeding pens. 



her, it will be quite safe to put the proper eggs under, and 

 this^ is best done at night time. When cold winds and 

 frosty nights are prevalent, it is unwise to give a hen her 

 full complement of eggs; better two less than one too many, 

 for if she has too many it will make her uneasy and in all 

 probability she will spoil several eggs in her endeavors to 

 get them all properly under. At the end of four days after 

 setting hens, examine the eggs by holding them before a 

 candle. This must be done at night time; the clear eggs 

 can then be taken away, which are easily distinguished 

 from the fertile ones, the latter showing cloudy, and the 

 veins of the germs will be quite distinct. By Uking out 

 the unfertile ones, in addition to making room for the fer- 



