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CHAPTER VI. 
MANAGEMENT. 
are N mating pens for breeding for exhibition purposes, one would 
4 do better to make up two pens—one for breeding cockerels, 
the other, pullets, though no doubt good birds of both 
sexes can be bred from one pen. In both cases mate a good cock- 
erel or a one year old bird preferred, of exhibition points, to well 
shaped hens, with good shoulders and breast, strong in limb, beavily 
marked, and ground colour well defined, for breeding cockerels: but 
to hens lighter in shade of lacing and feather, for breeding pullets ; in 
both sexes, birds of one year old will throw stronger chickens. 
Another mating has been tried, with good results, producing 
some of our best pullets, by using a cock with reddish hackle and 
saddle hackle, to some heavily marked hens, but the percentage of 
worthless birds as result of this mating is very great, and would 
be still greater if the hens used were not from some well bred 
strain. 
“ In mating for crossbredsI find from experience better results 
are obtained by using the Indian game for the male bird than for 
the female, and so advise using an Indian game cock to some one- 
year old hens or pullets of the Dorking breed, for the finest table 
poultry, but where quickness of growth and size are required, with 
fine quality, the Brahma, or Langshan; and here let me remark 
that if the finest table poultry is required, it is essential that the 
sexes be divided before the cockerels begin to crow. They will grow 
quicker, especially the cockerels, and the flesh will be of far more 
delicate flavour. 
In mating up some ten or twelve hens together, it is better 
to run two male birds with them, especially in the early winter 
months; better results in fertility of eggs may be relied upon; as 
possibly one cock may be at times under the weather, and con- 
sequently not able to pay the necessary attention to the hens, thus 
causing serious disappointment in the hatching, at a time when the 
loss cannot be rectified, the season having slipped by. 
