Judging Brahmas. 
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found, at present, that the Light variety is most valuable, both as a table bird and as a layer ; and 
if the Dark be chosen, the stock should be carefully bred and chosen by the owner himself , with 
reference to the neglected points, by which means a vast improvement may be rapidly effected. 
The chickens must be fed well, but the appetites of the adult birds should never be satisfied. If 
their food — all being bought — costs more than three-halfpence per week each, with barley at five 
shillings per bushel, they have too much ; and over-feeding is especially prejudicial to profit in this 
breed of fowls. The pullets should be instantly checked the first time or two they desire to incubate 
(unless sitters are actually wanted), when they will generally lay again in less than a fortnight ; and 
by doing this, and setting, as already advised, the eggs from those which show the propensity least, 
it can be so modified as not to be troublesome, and a very valuable strain of fowls secured. . 
The Brahma is very valuable as a cross. With the Dorking cock it produces a splendid market 
fowl, with generally white legs, and the largest that can perhaps be produced. We have seen this 
cross condemned again and again by unpractical writers ; but we abide by it, and have numerous 
letters speaking to its great value. One gentleman writes us just as these pages go to press that his 
Brahma-Dorkings “ are the admiration of the whole country,” and that many neighbouring farmers 
are going to follow his example ; and others send similar accounts of the result. The cross between 
a Brahma cock and Dorking hen is not, however, nearly so good, either in size, hardiness, fecundity, 
or quality of meat. With the Creve cock the Brahma hen produces a fowl not so large as the 
Dorking cross, but of whiter and still more juicy quality of meat. The La Fleche cock produces very 
similar results. The Houdan cock produces a smaller fowl than either, but of very early maturity, 
capital quality of meat, and a most excellent layer. And, finally, the cross with a Spanish or 
Minorca cock and Dark Brahma hens produces a fowl, generally almost or quite black excepting 
gold margins to the hackles, which as a layer can hardly be surpassed, of a tall, commanding 
appearance, and very good eating, with only a moderate propensity to crow. This last cross is one 
of the most satisfactory fowls possible to keep for eggs and a few chickens, in the smoke of a town ; 
the eggs being far superior to the pure Spanish in flavour, besides being yielded, as a rule, in greater 
numbers, and at seasons when the Spanish will hardly lay at all. 
JUDGING BRAHMAS. — The most common error in deciding the merits of Brahmas is 
that of confounding the Brahma type with the Cochin, from which it is quite distinct in various 
respects. It may be well to point out again the principal differences which characterise the two 
races. While the tail of the Cochin is as small, low, and soft as possible, that of the Brahma should 
be nearly upright, of a tolerable size, containing a fair amount of quilh and with the top feathers 
spreading out as before described. The Cochin plumage is of a loose or downy character, while 
the Brahma should be a hard-feathered breed, the plumage both in cocks and hens lying close and 
compact ; hence the Brahma, while well furnished, has less fluff than the Cochin, and while square, 
is not “ lumpy ” in make. The Cochin should appear quiet and solid; the Brahma sprightly and 
active. While the cushion of a Cochin hen is almost globular in form, that of a perfect Brahma 
hen or pullet should rise more and more, until it merges harmoniously into the nearly upright tail. 
And finally, the breast of a good Brahma is deep and full, with the crop low down, thus contrasting 
directly with the shape of the Cochin, in which breast is greatly wanting. 
What individual judges have done in the way of mischief, at least suggests how much intel- 
ligent awards may yet do in repairing it ; and to suggest this, and a return to the old canons in 
• ido-ino- this breed, is all that we can do. Meantime, as in the case of Cochins, the modern craze 
for heavy feather, and toleration of heavy hocks, has made necessary the revision of our scale of 
points in these respects, and it may be doubted whether some judges would even allow as much 
