1 8 w. cook's turkey, goose, and pheasant book. 



Half bred Dorkings, make splendid sitters and mothers 

 for pheasants, especially those which come with four 

 toes. 



Of course, early in the season all those who hatch 

 pheasants are wise to get any broody hens they can lay 

 hands on, but where they are bred especially for sitting 

 purposes, I like Orpington Game, Plymouth Rock Game, 

 Game-Cochin and Game-Brahma. 



Why I mention these breeds is because they usually 

 take care of the pheasants for a long time. 



When any variety is crossed with a Minorca, Leghorn, 

 or some other non-sitting variety, they will often 

 commence laying at from eighteen to twenty-one days, 

 and they are liable to peck their young family instead of 

 protecting and taking care of them. 



It is always well to get game blood if possible in a 

 broody hen, as they are such splendid birds to keep to 

 their young ones, and do not come on to lay as a rule 

 so soon as other breeds after the period of incubation. 



Some people do not like heavy hens for hatching 

 pheasant eggs, but it is not weight so much as the 

 breed. Cochins and Erahmas in their pure state are 

 big, heavy, clumsy birds, but when they are crossed with 

 other breeds, especially game, they are very careful in 

 going on the nest. It is not always the heaviest birds 

 which break the eggs or kill the chickens. The best 

 hens to use for sitting on pheasants' and partridges' eggs 

 are "Silkies." They are small hens and are very 

 careful, both with the eggs and young ones. These 

 birds are very valuable for sitting purposes, in fact 



