THE POULTRY BOOK. 
89 
such as split wheat and barley, leaving off the custard by degrees, adding more 
barley-meal and oatmeal ; being careful not to let the chickens out of the coops, 
if a strong dev/ is on the grass, until the sun is well up. This is easily managed 
by opening the coops and letting the chickens out to drink the very first thing in 
the morning, when-they will rush to the water; then by putting a little food in 
the coops you get them all in again ; then shut them up for a time till the grass is 
dry. When large-framed birds are desired, the frame must be produced whilst 
the chicks are with the hen ; size is only to be obtained by liberal feeding and 
great attention. In general I set from nine to eleven Dorldng eggs under a hen, 
but never more than the larger number. My largest and best fowls have alw’ays 
been those hatched about the end of April and first fortnight in May. I once 
showed a pen of chickens, hatched on the 7th of June, at the Birmingham Show, 
held the last day of November, and took the fourth prize with them. Even for 
shov/ stock I alv/ays continue breeding until the middle of June, as, even at that 
time of the season, you may hatch cockerels that will weigh 9 lbs. and pullets of 
7j lbs. by the new year — weights that are not to be despised, as birds weighing 
considerably less have taken many prizes at the recent shows. Breeding for any 
particular colour in Dorkings cannot be taught by any hints : it must be learned in 
the breeder’s own yards, and he must know the strain of his birds before it can 
be done, and even then it takes years to breed to any particular colour. Weight 
may be got much easier than colour. 
“ In sending Dorkings to shows, it is most important not to over-feed them 
beforehand, or they will suffer much from being exhibited. They should be shown 
in their natural condition, taking care that their heads and combs are nicely 
washed with a sponge, and v/iped dry, and their legs and feet well washed with 
soap and warm water. I am surprised at White Dorking breeders remaining so 
stationary. No improvement has been effected for years in this breed, when it 
could be so easily managed by crossing with the heavy rose-combed Grey Dorking, 
and then breeding back to the white to regain the colour. Many breeders will say 
that to cross in fowl-breeding is to get impure breeds ; but I know that most 
breeds are all the better for a cross, although I do not say the first produce of the 
cross, but the second and third, being bred back again with the breed it is desired 
to improve.” 
The chapter on coloured Dorkings v/ould be incomplete without specific details 
respecting the best methods of fattening fowls for the table. The following 
practical directions on this subject are taken from a Treatise on Poultry 
Regarded as Agricultural Stock,” published by the Editor of this work in the 
Journal of the Bath and West of England Agricultural Society:— 
The chickens designed for being fattened .should be well and liberally fed from 
the earliest period. It is a mistake to imagine that they can be kept low when 
young, and got up to a great size by liberal feeding when put up to fatten. The 
fowls so treated are stunted in their growth, the bony framework becomes set or 
fixed, and they never afterwards attain a large size ; whereas with liberal feeding 
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