The Sun.
London, England, 1868-08-08 00:00:00

POULTRY MANAGEMENT.

(From the Gardener's Magazine.) .
I need not say the mode of producing poultry is one
well worthy of attention, because we find that fowls
weighing 41b might be produced just as easily and a 4
cheaply as fowls weighing only 21b each, if attention were
paid to having good breeds, such as the Dorkiug, Cochin,
wad the best French breeds, with the Malay crossed with
the Essex or Lincolnshire fowls. I find that the fowl.
which have been sent into Lincolnshire and Yorkshire
(from whence we get large supplies) have completely
changed the breeds ; thirty years ago they were quite,
small, and now they are large and fine. This was all
brought about about by Charles Clarke of Boston, who
bought the best stock and gave away the eggs to the
farmers and co.tagers. In Essex, likewise, the quantity
of poultry is kept up, whilst in Norfolk, some parts of
Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, and other counties, poultry bad
gone completely out of cultivation, in consequence of the
absorption of commons and waste lands, as well as that
small cottagers are not allowed to produce poultry ; whilst
the English farmers' wives and daughters have forgotten
the habits. of their ancestors, in sad contrast to the French
farmet•S' wives, whose greatest pride is their dairy and
their poultry.

The stiggestion I would make would be simply this
whe. e there are cottagers and small farmers the gen-
tlemen in the immediate neighbourhood should find a suppli
of good stock, and then distribute the eggs for breeding
purposes, the cost of which could not be more than ss. or
10s., sand by that means the recipients would do as they
have done in Sussex, where a very large quantity of
chickens is raised all the year round, in the district of
lieathfield, in a radius of about 20 miles ; during the
next three months we shall have sent to London, fore
that part of the country, £l,OOO worth a week, which
will show what can be done by industry and method•
The supply for London is of very great importance, be-
cause we must not only consider that thorn are 3,000,000
of people to supply food to here, but we al,o suPPII
a radius of 50 or 60 miles round London when our Or
plies are above the demand for home consumption in con-
sequence of the railways being so accessitle. That is not
the case inlFrance ; the poultry, nearly all, go to Paris,
and there is hardly any demand in other towns. In this
country the supplies are required constantly. At Brighton
and all round the south coast, especially at Oxford And
Cambridge, as well at other large towns, it is not likely the
price will decrease, as a more general use would, I am per-
suaded, lead to an unlimited consumption. I have recently
paid a visit to South Wales, and I find that in some parts
the cottagers and small farmers are increasingly producing
poultry, and this ought to be established through the
length and breadth of Ireland.

By the plan I propose I think we could introduce a nesv
mode of breeding and feeding poultry, Thus, chicken/
two or three months old, will fatten in 7, 14, or 21 days/
at a cost of 4d. or Gd. per week. Ido not think there IS
possibility of raising any kind of vegetable so quickly 36
that, so as to produce a fat article out of a lean one in
about 7or 14 days. The way in which the people round
about Heathfield, Cuckfield, Uckfield, and other part°
of Sussex, have improved within the last ten yeare
is marvellous ; and they now make from 3s. 6d*
to ss. 6d. for chickens not more than three month°
old. The chief point is the labour, the only expense there
can be in rearing, until they get about two months old,
which should be by the side of a hedge, or where there f 0
grass, which cannot cost more than ls. to is. 6d. ; strong/
healthy, well-fed chickens are very soon fattened. I think
that is a power of manufacture which is worthy of tae
consideration of the country, as the profit must be at leas°,
from 50 to 75 per cent. The means of feeding aro simply
these:—Barley or oatmeal ground fine, grease, fat, or suet
mixed with it; new milk, or if not procurable, meat broth
a
mixed with it to the consistency of thick soup,
administered twice or thrice daily for 7, 14, or 21
days. Fowls from four to six and nine months old should
be fed on this food with the funnel, and kept in the dart
on clean straw. All kinds of animals kept in the dark, end
quiet, always fatten quicker than when they have to°
much roord or light; that is a very important part of the
French system, to keep them in the dark. But what
would wish to point out is this : the French fowls which
are fed with a funnel are a particular breed—the Crevae-
sieur (Grevecceur ?), La Fleche, Le Mans, and Houdan ;
small chicken would not bear the funnel to go down its
throat. This class of fowl are now selling wholesale, la
Paris, at from 6s. 6d. to 15s. each.

I think it would be rather difficult to introduce this ssr
tern of feeding by funnel at first amongst farmers, as it 44
a process which requires some dexterity and patience ; bit",
it is very simple. To make a coop for twenty-four fovritil
with a small trough, to be kept clean, to peck the cbielf:
ens (as they do in Sussex) for seven or fifteen days,
what any one could undertake. The chickens must onif
have food enough to fill themselves full ; then they oil
be kept in the dark, and quiet. The food must be Ills°
into a consistency similar to soup ; boiled eggs are solve-
times given to them during the last two or three daft
and as fowls well fattened fetch such a price, it is W°rt".
while to bring them to the highest perfection. I balr:
never seen such fowls in England as I saw in the pad
market and the Palais Royal, each weighing 10110. °.,"
141b5., which fowls were eight or ten months old. They
must be large to be fed with the funnel; while °bicker°,
from ten weeks to four months old have this special foac'
in coops (holding twelve to twenty-four each), provide.d
with troughs which must be daily cleared. There is
difference, of course, between a chicken fattened in tbie
way and fowls fattened for any special purpose, as is do-
with a funnel.

Our own supply of poultry can be only increased bi
giving plots of land to farm labourers, stimulating tiihe
cottagers and small farmers to breed and fatten. poultris;
for, wherever it is mixed and crowded together, disease'
sure to follow, and it is impossible to produce them to aci
vantage. I am quite certain that the supply of poultri
might be increased at least ten, and the eggs at least Oftiti
fold, and when you seriously consider tho matter you Yfih
see how important this is. I do not know how map,,
cattle there are in this country ; but when you come -
fowls you can count them by millions, and then if you if;
crease the weight of each fowl which is eaten by alit,"
half a pound, you will see what an important effect 9°,1:
produce. But that is putting it at the very lowest 1)041
1';
by properly breeding and feeding fowls, the weight 0,"
be increased, not half a pound, but from 11b. to 2lbse
cording to the breed and the system adopted. Wit;
respect to poultry, therefore, I earnestly con"
respect
it is the duty of the people of this cetliD„"'d
who have at heart the true interests of the industrial ft-tc,
working classes, not only to give them a good cottage,
live in, and a small piece of ground to cultivate, but Poo
to give them a brood of two good fowls, which W°,/
answer the purpose of a bank. This would be a hael)e
the best kind, because the children can so much inapr°"4
it. It is watchful labour which is particularly reggirsa
to produce poultry, and we should then find, as is WTI
on the continent, that where people have this oppottil,„%ila
of employing their time, and their children, it makes ce
careful and saving. But it is of the utmost imports ta:o
to have a good breed. 1 take this matter up, not onli
a matter of business, but from benevolent motives• gloo
engaged now as a guardian of the poor, and I hale au
always connected with associations for the Pr3c;n-o-
benefit of industrial populations, especially the ag,rl;oo
tural labourer; and I have been much interested inViA the
Girdlestone's project for improving the condition e'foijc
agricultural labourer, especially as I come from I%l°).freed
myself. I feel that if the method of improving the ":bie
of poultry were put before the people, it would en _let
them to help themselves ; and that is really the Too
satisfactory way of helping them. I have been infertile tick
one district where the breeding of poultry has been 1
increased, the poor rates have sensibly ditninishee
should not be afraid to go before any body of Wu
convince them that here is a kind of El Dorado, "t
uout
should be very happy to show them how to 'work I,
practically. In conclusion, I would say that if
have stated could be printed and put before the Pu'lo-,c,,a
would be of the greatest possible advantage, as it is go!'
to be in many parts of our own county, is 13elgitit(40 apd
laud, Normandy, and many other parts of Fl-1°4'11;001
wherever there is conceded to the industrial agric)dorY
poor some advautag,, such as the keeping oi.ibought
would be considered, these habits of economy au '1 0014
would insure the surest pledge of order and virtue ~
any people.

MODE OF FEEDING.
Ist at 6 a.m.; 2nd at 12 noon ; 3rd at 6 p.m.
1. Barley or oatmeal ground fine. 9•,b
2. New milk, if obtainablo. Skim do (I)Jiled)

sugar.
3. Meat broths—if milk is not procurable.
4. Pork lard, suet, or grease. three
5. Boiled eggs for high feeding during the lgs_6t T
Wo; or
days. Time of feeding in coops for chickens, or
turkeys,fourt,e nWV days ; time of feeding by funnel 1°.°15
0 the
twenty-one days ; three times daily.- Food
Evidence of Mr. Brook, a Poultry Salesman, before
to f°h,ir
Committee of the Society of Arts, as reported la I
Journal.