COCKERS MANUAL. 17 



Stags bred to pullets will produce good chickens, but as a, general 

 thing full grown or two-year-old birds bring the best. 



A writer in the Journal of Horticulture says, "In crossing colors in 

 breeding the following cases — first, when there are more than six hens 

 to each cock ; second, when the hens are dark with dark legs and the 

 cock light ; third, when the hens are full grown and the cock not full 

 grown ; also in breeding games from hens with a barn-door cock the 

 the progeny will be gamer than if breeding from a game cock and 

 barn-door hen. The fighting qualities are, however, inherited more 

 directly from the cock than from the hen. In breeding Game fowls 

 together, which made the best breeders for the pit in general, more 

 careful of their brood cocks than of their brood hens. In all animals 

 of both sexes those taking the most after their sires are considered to 

 be the strongest and most spirited. As a rule, breeding from fowls 

 not full grown is a great mistake, as even if they produce quicker 

 birds (which some say, though contrary to ray own experience), they 

 at any rate produce weaker, smaller and softer birds both in bone and 

 flesh." 



It is a well known fact that every breeder has his own ideas and 

 no amount of talking could induce him to change it. One of these is 

 not dubbing his breeding cocks, as they select their finest stags and 

 keep them undubbed, putting them on a walk alone with a few hens 

 only. When our stock has been bred in-and-in too long they begin 

 to be slower in their motions, the hens do not lay as well and also 

 moult later each season and feather more slowly. In this case they 

 should be crossed with a strong, healthy brood cock, as all birds from 

 a first cross are more vigorous if the cross is good, and also best for 

 the pit. Each succeeding cross grows less vigorous and spirited. By 

 keeping two distinct breeds a first cross can always be had when wanted. 

 It is said the first laying hens never breed the best birds, i. e., hens 

 that lay in winter are not the best to breed from, having exhausted 

 themselves before the proper season. 



Breeders for the pit generally allow three hens to the stag, and five 

 to the cock, but we are convinced from our own experience that the 

 best stock can be bred from a single cock and two good hens ; still it 

 is often the case that two hens will not prove sufficient and others will 

 have to be put in. But as a general thing we like to breed from two 

 hens if possible. Successful breeders avoid breeding in-and-in, and it 



