16 



will appear black or hazy, but if unfertile it will appear perfectly- 

 white. A fertile egg gradually becomes darker as the formation 

 of the chicken increases. 



The egg shells should be removed from the nest when the eggs 

 are hatched. 



How TO Eeab Chickens. 



Chickens do not require any food for twelve hours after they 

 are hatched. The first few meals should consist of hard-boiled 

 eggs, bread crumbs, and oatmeal, mixed with very little milk or 

 water, so as to be almost dry and crumbly. After this; feed on 

 poUard, barley-meal, or boiled potatoes, with a little bran mixed 

 through ; in all cases scald it with milk or water, the former pre- 

 ferred. Animal food and bone-meal should be mixed through the 

 food twice a week. For the first few weeks the chickens should 

 be kept in dry situations. As the age increases the young birds 

 should be fed on corn, such as crushed wheat, crushed maize, but 

 in every case should have soft food (scalded) in the morning. As 

 soon as the sexes can be distinguished, separate the cockerels, 

 placing them into grazing yards. They require regular and con- 

 stant feeding in being prepared for market. 



How TO Fatten. 



The process of fattening is of the utmost importance in the 

 export trade, and upon it will depend much of the success which 

 is anticipated in this business. To fatten a fowl is practically to 

 ripen it, and once this stage is secured it is useless to continue 

 fattening or ripening a bird any longer ; the natural course after 

 ripening in anything is decay, and so in poultry. Of course, birds 

 required for egg purposes or breeding should never be fattened, 

 and it is only those required for table purposes which should 

 undergo the process. We have hinted that only birds required 

 for immediate use should be fattened. In the export trade nothing 

 but young birds from three to six months old are to be used, so 

 that shippers will have to take into consideration the time neces- 

 sary to fatten and place the bird in good condition. To fatten 

 young stock the food used must be of a flesh-producing nature, 

 such as that previously mentioned, namely :— Wheat, barley, maize, 

 and for a change, dun peas. 



