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The Housing and Mating of Bantams. 



By M. K. Miller, Pottstown, Pa. 



One of the most important steps in the successful breeding 

 of bantams is the housing. Bantams, to be bred successfully, 

 should have their houses free from dampness and reasonably 

 warm in winter. Great care should be taken in regards to damp 

 quarters. Dampness causes colds, which soon develop into roup, 

 canker and other diseases, which often prove fatal. Too much 

 care cannot be taken in building or selecting houses. They 

 should be free from cracks admitting any drafts of air, with good 

 tight floors, sanded to a depth of several inches, this covered 

 with cut hay, chaff or any other dry litter. They should also be 

 made tight enough at night to keep out all marauding animals. 

 The latter experience we have bought and paid dearly for. It is, 

 however, not copyrighted or patented ; any one may have the 

 same experience by not following timely warning. 



In mating bantams, pens should consist of a male and not 

 over five females, while some varieties, such as Rose Combs and 

 Japanese' produce better results if bred in trios. Better results 

 will be obtained by mating pens of this number than larger ones, 

 as more eggs will be fertilized and the peeps hatched will be 

 stronger and more likely to live to maturity. As with any other 

 variety of fowls, the cock is half of the pen. Therefore too much 

 care cannot be displayed in his selection. He should be a good, 

 strong, vigorous bird, of fair size, as a small undersized male 

 bird is seldom a good breeder. He should be strong in all points 

 where females are weak. We have found a bird of nearly stand- 

 ard weight to be more vigorous and stronger, producing more 

 fertile eggs that will hatch chicks of greater vitality. We do 

 not advocate the use of large aiid oversize birds, as we know 

 from experience that standard weights can be maintained with- 

 out breeding the undersized birds, which is always at the ex- 

 pense of stamina. 



In mating, produce the best stock you can afford and keep 

 on improving until you have the best. The better your stock 

 the more fascinating the breeding and more valuable your stock 

 will be. 



