Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-06-09
miscellaneous
From Life Illustrated.
A CHAPTER ON CHICKENS.

the whole art and science Of fowl.breeding is
summed up in five grand rules;
l. Pure Breed. 8. Varied Diet.
= Fresh Blood; s..,. 4: Egnoble Temperature
Poultry keeping is becoming very popular in
this country as we'll as in Europe, but like many
other popular pursuits, is followed by the mass
with more zeal than knowledge. Perhaps, with
the aid of the "Pcntalogue, and other works now
before us, we can give our fowl-mneying readers Il
few useful hints on the subject. \ common error
in lowl-brecding is thus illustrated by our Penta-
logical author
What, for instance, is more common than to see
n yard where the different varieties Of Dorkings,
Hamburgs, Polauds, etc. are complaccntly eXhib.
tied by their well satisfied owners, in u state of
comminglcd and inextricahie confusion where
breeding " in-and-in' is permitted as a matter Of
course where the tables of kindred and affinity
are set at utter defiance and where the genealog-
zeal problem is practically solved Of how n man
represented IN this case by a cock may be his
own grnndtather.' The consequence is, that in n
lew generations the distinctive features Of one
breed are incorporated with the characteristics Of
another, and the different specimens are gradually
converted into that nondcscript mongrel kind which
derives ITS name from u locality typical Of its mer-
its--the dunghill. The stock, thus gliding along
the Avernian rails to ruin, and passing through
the various stations from bad to worse, arrives
ere long at that terminus of superlaiive iuferiority
at which matters are popularity suuposeI 70 mend
An unusually sickly season compels the owner
70 furnish fresh blood, who then, perhaps still
ignorant Of the causes of the previous dcgenera-
ton and mortality, goes on to repeat his error.
Now, let me suppose that an unit of the class lust
specified, seeing the error Of his ways, and desirous
Of reforming them were to come to me for counsel.
the FIRST step that | would recommend would be to
get rid Of his old and to procure Il stock Of fresh
poultry,
With respect to the iomicile Of tho f~cathered
stock he says;
One composed Of non-conducting materials, that
would be comparatively warm in winter and cool
in summer, will be found to anJwer best. 1t will
promote laying in cold weather, and mitigate dis
tress from heat in the sultry season. a sudden
downward change Of temperature is exceedingly
apt to blight the maternal prospects of an early
setting hen, however well she may perform her
duties. \ matched building, composed of stone or
brick (cob is better still will be found to afford II
~tolerably even temperature. My own fowls, how
ever, never did better than when kept in a rough
weather-boarded place, but then it was but loosely
parted oil from the end Of a large cow-hOuse, which
was always filled with cattle in the winter and
empty in summer.
Brick or gtone is too cold for the flooring, which
had far better he of limeash or well-bcaten earth.
The former is the best, as it can be more easily
swePt and kept clean. 1t should be above the level
OF the external soil, in order to avoid damps. The
whole of the interior had better be plastered, as the
rough walls and thatch are likely to collect dirt and
yermin. If the roof is tiled or slated, plaster is
still more necessary to check the extremes Of heat
and cold. Two or three coats of whitewash, in the
course of the summer especially, will be found very
conducive to health,
Hens arc exceedingly capricious and %fanciful in
respect to nests, like our watering places, suddenly
become all the rage at one time, and are pronounc-
Ell questionable at another. Our author of the
Five Commandments says that out of about ten
nests existing at one time in his poultry-housc, only
three were popular--why or wherefore he knows
not, as they possess very different qualities. One
OF these being in n cold corner on the ground, the
second in a window exposed to light and heat, and
the third sltuatedin n dark nook in an iron pot.
lie thinks that the nests had better be left an Open
question for the hens themselves to decide, but that
of all materials usually employed in their construc-
lion, heather or straw is the best. Hay is bad, as
it soon generates insects Of q kind mot to be men,
toned to ears polite" His own experience is in
favor of shallow holes in the floor, loosely lined
with a little clean straw, and he has almost invar-
iably FOun | that the largest and strongest broods
are Matched on the ground.
In addition to the nest-house there should be al
open shed for the fowls to retire to On u rainy day
''or for a noontide ~siesta." A moderate exposure
is not injurious on the contrary, few birds can BIZ
kept in good health without the natural shower
bath, or an artificial one, if they are 50 confined
that rain eannotr9aeh them. But they may hav,
''too much OF water, and the instinct which make
them congregate, after Il time, under any shelter
an embarrassed cart, fer example, if they can fin,
it, shows that excess in this, as in everything else
is 10 he avoided.
1t is true, as we are told in the "Pentaloruc ,
that the domestic fowl is as omniverous as a pig o
a man, and a little more so nevertheless grain i
their staple. Vegetables, such as boiled potatoes
carrots, and parsneps, are acceptable, and so ar
raw lettuces, cabDaSes, peas, etc. This matter 0
die: Is an important one. y hen should be locke,
upon us an egg-producing machine, and in feedin!
her this should be especially considered. Not onl
are bones, flesh, and feathers to be supported, bu
eggs are to be created, and this last will not be dom
il she be under or over fed. To hit the prone
medium is the great secret.
As lime (says our author) is necessary for tn,
formation of egg-shells, it should always be acces
sible to the hehs. The best form is calcined oys
%tershe!ls pounded in fragments, and, next to that
chalk or beef bones broken up to the size of peal
lor less. l have also given the shells of egg
used in the kitchen. They must be reduced to
coarse powder and mixed with the food, or, if giver
in large fragments, the hens will learn to eat thcil
own, eggs. The shells of eggs that have beer
Matched will not answer.
The following paragraph ably calculates some O
the mysteries OF chickcndom:
Early in the year, say the beginning or middl,
OF January, the future parents should be selected
The cock should bear no relationship to the hons
which ought not to exceed three in number. Fo
the hrst three weeks the eggs should be set aside
us the genulneness of their parentage cannot hi
depended upon. After that time put them ava,
IN bran unul wanted, first marking the date Of thei
birth upon them.
As soon as a hen is ready to set, thirteen eggs o
the same date, or as near as may be, should be Sc
leeted and placed under her in the evening. The
number | have mentioned is enough for any hen
and though l have known as many as fifteen and
even seventeen given, yet the number Of chickens
is seldom large in proportion. No egg should be
more than ten days old, and the reason why they
should be OF the same day is, that they may be
Matched simultaneously. The fewer the hens. the
less is the chance of added eggs; and the fresher
the egg, the stronger is the %viyifying power, and
the sooner is the chick Matched. Ii there is any
undue difference, either in the ages Of the hens or
the eggs, the Matching will not be uniform. By
setting the hen Of an evening, she has a better
chance of not being disturbed during the final pro.
cess Of incubation. Lot her only pass a quiet
night, and the probability is that all will be as well
as can be expected in the morning.
At the termination of three weeks and one NIGHT
lie. hnr nnntlrnE Lnr .nrA L. La..:- - .roNl