Rocky Mountain husbandman. [volume] (Diamond City, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1876-11-02
The POULTRY YARD.
MATIHG Fowls FOE BREEDING

HATING Fowls FOE BREEDING.
It is a fact recognized and admitted by all
pvaltry breeders. that in selecting fowls for
breeding it is desirable that the ages of the
dock and hen should vary. It is generally
szmitted that the strongest ard best Chick
ans are produced from a cockerel and two
gear-old hens but, unfortunately, however,
she chickens of such parentage have ire
suently q large proportion, of cocks, and
therefore 1t is that some breeders prefer a
ewo.year-old cock bird to put with pullets
dnat are full grown This rule, however.
must not be looked upon as imperative as to
either case; there are exceptions to both
md good chickens may be also produced
from cocks and hens all Of the same age.
One thing, however, ought always to be
Borne IN mind, that in mating young fowls
Rss than q year old, their chickens will al-
ways be backward in Hedging; neither do
we care to breed from fowls after they have
passed the third year. g4F
The male bird has the mostinfluence upon
the color Of the progeny, and upon what are
WaAdliJ hIlON a. GiiC AdAAf p0tiitS3 III
ehe form, SIZE and useful qualities are prin-
cpally derived from the hen. Many other
wise fire cock birds may have ON objec-
ronable feature about them ; they may have
some faulty feathers, they may not be as
perfect In shape and size as desirable, or
they may be somewhat leggggy, all or any Of
which may cause the fafcier to hesitate
shout breeding from them. 1t ought, how
ever, to be borne in mind that there are but
few birds really perfect, and such cocks
ought not to be hastily condemned, if the
fault be not too glaring. Iii all such cases,
the careful breeder will, if possible, select
hens having marked and entirely opposite
qualities.
II the comb of the cock be defective, then
tie hens selected should have theirs perfect,
little cocks legs on back be someWhatslo long,
then the hens legs and back should be pro-
rortionately short. And SO, too, Of the
markings. Where here is any defect in the
cock, the hens chosen should in this particu-
lar, be ample; the one great nhjentAtnshe
kept in view by the breeder Is to endeavor
to counteract the bad qualities III the one by
the good qualities in the other. Let it, how
ever, be borne in mind. that however excel
Lent In other points, no bad colored or really
hulty-combed cock or ill-shaped hen should
be retained as breeding stock, as they will
invariably produce chickens Of a very indif-
ferent order.
Then again, as to the crossing Of a breed,
the cockcrels IN the progeny will more or
less resemble the father, whilst the pullets
follow the mother, and o knowledge Of this
net Is OF much Importance to those who
wish to breed back to the original strain. III
the larger breeds it is frequently desirable
to Increase the size or to render more prom
hcnt some portion Of the body in such
oeses 4 cross with 4 hen Of foreign breed
should be employed. II, on the contrary, it
Il the plumage which is sought to be modi-
fed, then it Is the male bird which should be
thrown In. The same rule should always
be adopted in breeding the cross out again,
or IN retaining any new characteristic that
may appear.
The number OF hens to be mated with Il
cock ought, in our opinion, to vary with cir
clIastallces. 1.-THE fowls are kept in q con-
1ned space, from four to six are deemed suf-
dcient, but our experience tells us that with
good run a dozen hens with 4 strong.
healthy cock are not too many. Last season
we had even more, and scarcely a rotten egg
ont Of the many dozen We Matched. These
remarks apply, OF course. to the larger
l--.1 EA 49, &