THE GAME BREEDER , . 171 



pure Mongolian. This breeder replied had been shipped several hundred miles 



that he had some pure Mongolians by express, this was certainly a very 



brought over from England two years good hatch and I was more than pleased 



ago, and that I could purchase eggs of with the same. 



the pure birds from him. I therefore The first 24 hours the poults are left 



gave him an order for 12. eggs, paying undisturbed with the clucks. After that 



$10 for them for May delivery. I place the clucks with their poults in a 



These eggs were sent to me May 23, common cracker box, which has a parti- 



and he included one extra egg of the tion in the center made out of laths, in 



Japanese pheasant. In order to have order to feed the poults on one side of 



some good clucks on hand for these eggs the coop, where the cluck can not reach 



I had set two Bantams (mixed breed) and eat their food. The bottom of this 



about two weeks before the eggs arrived, coop is covered with coarse dry gravel. 



The nests for my pheasant eggs I keep Two days later this coop is connected 



near the house under some shade tree, with a run 3x4x1 ft., with screen on 



away from the chicken yard and stable, two sides and later on also covered on 



The nests are placed on the ground, top with 1 inch wire netting. The bot- 



covered over with a well ventilated coop, torn of this run is also , covered with dry 



A slight depression is made in the coarse gravel. This run rests on four 



ground, in which a small quantity of legs, each about 6 inches long from coop 



good dry hay is arranged. These nests to floor. This run with coop is kept 



are inspected every other day in order standing on the porch excepting on very 



to see whether any nest is in bad order j^ii^ and sunny days, when they are set 



•or containing a broken or dirty egg. The out into some sunny place in the garden, 



coop with the nest is built in such a way But I always provide for plenty of shade 



that no strong, cold wind can blow over for the poults. Keeping the poults penned 



the eggs, while the cluck has left the ^p }„ this manner the first few weeks 



nest, and still it had good ventilation, protects them against rain and keeps 



Strong cold spring winds striking the them ofif the cold, moist ground, which 



eggs, while the hen has left the nest, will jg oftentimes detrimental to them in their 



ruin, if not all, at least many an egg. early stage of life. After they are two 



Furthermore I'm very careful to rid the or three weeks old— all depending upon 



clucks of lice and mites, for these kill ^he season— they are placed in a larger 



more poults in their early stage of life j.^^ j^ the garden, 14x14x3 ft., an in- 



and cause the cluck to rum more closure of 1 inch wire netting. The poults 



eggs in the nests than anything else. I ^j^^ feathers are cut every week or so to 



have had wonderful good success in kill- binder them from flying over the fence.' 



ing lice and mites on hens with mercurial During the nights and stormy, irainy 



ointment. This is applied a Httle be- weather they are shut up in a large 



low The vent and for head lice also a grocery box, the whole front being cov- 



little on the head of the clucks during gred with screen, including the door, 

 the first and last week of incubation. All -pj^^^ noults are not fed the first 24 



this is very essential in order to have j^^^^^.^ ^j^^^ J f^ej ^1,^^ egg-custard, 



good success in raising pheasants. Others feed hard boiled eggs instead of 



On June 18th, after the eggs had custard. I also give them fresh drink- 

 been pecked about two days before, ten jng water from the time I begin to give 

 little poults of the Mongolian eggs were them feed. To this is added the next 

 found in the nest ; one was lying dead in ^lay finely cut lettuce and also maggots, 

 front of. the cluck, but the other nine j keep on feeding them all the maggots 

 were alive. The remaining three eggs they care to eat. To ' raise these mag- 

 were fertile also, but the poults, which gots I use a piece of fresh beef liver, 

 were nearly fully developed, had died in placed upon some moistened bran. And 

 the shell. Considering that these eggs in order to be well supplied with mag- 



