COCKER S MANUAL. 



the best of feather and health, as it is well known that breeding from 

 •diseased fowls result in chickens with weak and sickly constitutions, 

 small in leg, boue and muscle. We do not believe in too expensive 

 coops for our breeding pens, but light and roomy, as we use ours only 

 during this season ; but if intended for winter as well as summer use 

 more expense will be added in making them. Care must be taken in 

 feeding them and not supply too much food, as the birds may become 

 fat and thus defeat our object. It is not well to keep them confined 

 to one kind of food but a change should be given them often ; fresh 

 water must be supplied them daily, and if extremely warm weather 

 at least twice each day. If a cock takes a dislike to a hen she 

 should be removed at once as it would be useless to endeavor to breed 

 from her and would result in her death, or at least her injury. The eggs 

 should be collected regularly each day, marking the name of breed 

 and day on each. If this plan be adopted great disappointment will 

 be prevented in the hatching of the eggs. 



BREEDING TO FEATHER. 



Since our Poultry Standard has come into existence and our poultry 

 shows more numerous we find much attention being paid to breeding 

 ^ames to feather, caring more for exhibition birds than our old pit 

 fowl which, owing to the stringent laws now in force has done much 

 to put them out of use. Yet, notwithstanding this fact, we find that 

 many old cockers discard breeding to feather, caring more for the ac- 

 tion and fighting qualities of the cock than for his appearance. 

 Among the cockers this class are greatly in the majority. A fancier, 

 however, whose object is to breed exhibition or prize birds gives close 

 attention to breeding to feather, to do which successfully several 

 things are necessary to be observed. Just as much science will be 

 needed in breeding fowls to feather as for any other purpose, and in 

 breeding for this point it is generally expected that we will produce 

 fowls of the same feather, but experience shows all will not be the same, 

 and so it is with standard birds. Many chapters have been written in 

 which are given various rules and instructions for breeding to feather 

 af this or that advice is followed. But there are many important points 



