GENERAL INFORMATION 
greater number of hens than this, but not usually. 
A great deal depends upon the individual disposi- 
tion of the male, and whether or not his attentions 
are well distributed. If he is a spry, vigorous fel- 
low, the male is apt to worry the hens if there are 
only a few of them, and in that case it is well to 
introduce as many more females as are necessary 
in order to keep the male peaceable. 
Sometimes it becomes necessary to keep more 
hens together in one flock than one male bird can 
properly look after. Then various expedients are 
resorted to in order to prevent the males from 
exhausting their powers and interfering with each 
other. Where two males are necessary for one 
pen, the common practice is to put them with the 
hens on alternate days. This doubtless is the best 
plan, but the most satisfactory way is to have the 
houses and yards so arranged that no flock con- 
tains more females than can be well looked after 
by one male. If two or more males are allowed to 
run together, they are sure to interfere with each 
other, and often the one is kept in total subjection 
and is as good as useless, for fear of the other. 
How Long to Retain Male Breeders. More 
depends upon the vigor and activity of the male 
bird than upon his age in deciding how long he 
may satisfactorily be used as a breeder. Several 
times I have used exceptionally good cock birds 
for breeding purposes until they were in their 
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