ancf its Economic Management. 375, 



purposes combined. For the table those are crossed 

 with Plymouth Rock, Dorking, or Cochin Cockerels, 

 for ensuring that width of breast, and rapidity of flesh- 

 formation, so necessary for the production of profitable 

 table-birds. 



Twenty years ago I formed the opinion that the only 

 profitable way to keep fowls as regards breeding was to 



Kill Every Pullet After One Season 



of laying. That is no hen is to be held over until the 

 second season. But doing as others did, I still continued 

 to try the second year hen and cock, only' to be finally 

 convinced that my earlier convictions were founded upon 

 sound fact. 



Consequently every pullet is disposed of as soon as she 

 is clear of any brood she may have from May to July at 

 the latest. This avoids the long, wasteful, profitless period 

 of moulting, with the usual dearth of eggs also following ; 

 while the new season's pullets are already laying, and con- 

 tinue to do so all through the winter. Second year hens 

 too are never so good for sitting, being generally too 

 heavy and clumsy, breaking many eggs, and treading on 

 the chicks. 



For General Convenience and Profit 



the incubator must always be worked with the sitting 

 pullets. The drying box takes the first chicks while the 

 mother is finishing, and the little ones are held until the 

 second day, before being set out, when they are generally 

 fed on plain ground oats every two hours, the food being 

 mixed nearly dry with clean warm water. Milk replaces 

 the water when the birds are a month old. 



The coops have a movable bottom board which is 

 removed and scraped daily. This is returned at once in 



