Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-07-13
AGRICULTURAL.
Breeding Poultry.

Phil. Million, in the Country Gentleman,
gives eome timely hints on the care necee-
sary in improving poultry: r".t
Now that the important season of hatch.
ing has come again, few words on the
breeding of poultry may perhaps be accept
able, even II there is nothing new to I've
said on the subject. ''.
Degeneracy in poultry manifests itself
sooner in no other way than by the lessened
fecundity of the hen and the inferiority in
size and quality of the eggs. Shelter at
night and during wet and stormy weather,
appropriate food, good water, plenty of
lime and ashes and sand, contentment and
cleanliness, are all essential to the abundant
production of large and good eggs, but with
all these, we will still be disappointed if we
neglect to infuse into our stock fresh blood
from year to year. .-.'
To increase the average number of eggs
per hen we must, Of course, tweed out" the
poor layers. Of given number of pullets
Matched at the same time, some may com
mence laying much sooner than Others, some
may lay larger eggs, some more frequently,
while Others may continue to lay longer.
BY a little attention on the part of the per-
son who has charge of them, the popularity
of each hen in these respects may be known.
Choose those combining the most good
qualities, and breed from them only. Repeat
this process from year to year, and if the
greatest number of eggs is the chief objecs
sought, cultivate the laying propensities of
your flock, by selecting those hens which
lay most frequently and continue to lay the
longest. Yet, these eggs and chickens are
both objects of profit, the everlasting
layers" are not desirable, to the exclusion of
| all Others. For rearing chickens, you will
4 nan hnn af In N1a
disposition, and not such as will try to kill
every stray chick that happens to get into
the wrong coop. Such ill-tempered hens
are thought by some to be more watchful
against cats or other enemies, but l find
they lose more chicks than the more quiet
hens, for when cat presents itself at the
coop, and Madame Spitfre commences her
warlike demonstrations, she is almost sure to
drive every chick out, and that is just what
| the attacking party wants. On the other
| hand, Madame quiet retains her "posish" in
the far end of the coop, with her brood
under her wings, as if conscious of her
safety, and if the coop is properly con-
structed, she is safe.
In selecting breeding stock, have an eye
to plumage, for it is an admitted fact amoug
poulterers that "fne feathers cover fine
fesh." Select, also, from among the early
| DrOOQb. 10 XIII OH all Jue carly CniChenS
and save only the late ones for the next
year is mistake too frequently practiced
on somc farms. For the sake of having
eggs in December, some will manage to
keep few of the early pullets, but as for
the roosters, as they don't lay anyhow, it is
thought July Matched chick will be big
enough to crow by the following February,
and that is all that is required.
Early rOosters rs we'll as carly pullets
are the ones to save, if we wish to improve
our poultry from year to year.
! Well bred poultry is scarce here, hence it
is harder for us than for Eastern farmers to
keep up our stock. I find, however, it
pays as we'll, in proportion to the invest
ment, to send East for eggs to set occasion
ally, as it does to import short horns or
Chester whites. Yet let no farmers wife,
or daughter, or son, as the case may be,
who has the care of the poultry, despair
of its improvement, because the farmer
himself cannot see that there is science in
rearing chickens as well as in rearing colts,
and will not, therefore, consent to the
purchase of few eggs, or pair or trio OF
choise fowls every year or two. II you
cannot do this, then exchange eggs with
your neighbors, and be all the more perscver-
ing. Take special care of the chicks thus
obtained, and select from among them the
best roosters, while from your own stock
select your pullets or pice uersa.