POULTRY REARING IN BELGIUM. 917) 

POULTRY REARING IN BELGIUM. 
The Consul-General of the United States who is stationed 
at Antwerp has supplied information to his Government on 
the subject of poultry-raising in Belgium, with particular 
reference to the “ Poulet de Bruxelles,’ which has a wide- 
spread reputation for the succulence of its flesh. 
He states that the excellence of the bird is due to the 
proper treatment of the sitting hen, and to the careful feeding 
of the young chicks until they are sufficiently developed for 
eating purposes. The choice of eggs for sitting purposes is 
considered a matter of great importance. The best breeders 
seldom take eggs more than eight days old, and care is taken 
that the eggs given to one hen areofthe sameage. They are 
kept at a very even and moderate temperature before being 
placed under the hen, and then they are turned daily in order 
to prevent the yolk, which is lighter than the white of the egg, 
from adhering to the shell. Eggs of an average size 
are also selected, the larger ones being rejected, as they 
often contain double yolks. Eggs which have been more or 
less shaken in transit are allowed to stand a day or two 
before being put under the hen, and great care is also taken 
to keep them perfectly clean. 
The nest is made of straw or chopped hay, which is seeeeny 
clean, dry, and odourless. As a rule, the sitting hen is located 
in quiet places where the light is subdued, and her food 
and water are placed within reach of the nest, in order to 
shorten the time that she is off the eggs. | 
The food given to the young chicks usually consists of hard- 
boiled eggs and wheat flour mixed in milk, a little water 
being added. To this paste is added a small onion finely cut 
up, together with lettuce when green food is scarce. The 
mixture is ordinarily quite stiff: food which is too moist 
is considered harmful for the young brood. After the first 
few days, a small quantity of whole grain is mixed into the 
paste ; butifrapid development is desired the simple paste is 
continued alone. The grain given is wheat, rice, millet, 
buckwheat or corn, raw or cooked. Cooked potatoes are also 
