Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-08-08
Farm and Household.


The Rest Breed Of Fowls.
We are often called on to shy which are the
best fowls to keep. The question affords a
wide margin for reply. 1t is difficult matter
to decide when all are good-some for one
thing, and others for another The point TO
come at is to know what is needed most
What is best for one person may not be for
another. Aside from speculation, or amateur
enjoyment, fancy kinds of poultry at fancy
prices do not pay 80 well as mixed or common
breeds. There is more profit in the latter,
with good keeping, than nine out Of ten poul-
try managers imagine. Indeed, the first cross
of two pure breeds makes an excellent fowl.
1t is well TO cross the egg-producers Chat is,
non-sitters) with the Brahmas or Cochins.
The result is a fowl that produces both flesh
and eggs. They may not give quite so many
eggs as the prolific layer, for there is some
time wasted in the season of broodiness,
which comes on periodically, oftener as the
season advances. Neither will they make as
much flesh as the Brahma or Cochin, but we
have combination in the one bird, which is
an advantage where we do not desire the
breeds separate, or cannot keep them to adj
vantage But these crosses should not be
carried to any great extent, perhaps not be-
You'd the first They deteriorate and become
diminutive. Besides crosses are not to be
relied on at all times for either flesh or eggs.
There is no trouble in getting from two
hundred to three hundred eggs every year
from every hen, if one knows how-and there
is n know how Perhaps this was not pos
sible with the old-fashioned, half-wild, dimin-
utive sort of barnyard fowls, which are fortu-
nately growing scarcer every year, and the
hen fever must have large credit for these
improvements. These are the words of an
old friend He crowds the poor hen rather
hard when he puts her down good for two
hundred or three hundred eggs each year.
The hens that drop two hundred and fifty
eggs each in twelve months are as scarce as
the cows that make from two pounds to three
pounds of butter per day. l do not wish to
be understood as saying that they will not or
cannot do it, but they are scarce. There is
generally in the existence of every fowl a
season of moulting, which lasts a longer or
shorter period, varying often with different
breeds and different specimens, according to
the manner of keeping, from one to two
months During this change hens seldom
produce eggs, and it is the rapid, steady lay
ers which suffer most at this period, and are
the longest in recovering from it. OF all
fowls l ever met with, the Brahma is the most
difficult TO bring into egg production. My
inclination has led me towards the smaller
breeds, and believe them the very best in
most circumstances. The flesh of a cross be-
tween large and small breed is not so good
either kept pure, but opinions are often at
variance, and every one has the privilege of
experimenting The size of the egg is sell
dom increased, nor is the quality.
Still, people will have crosses, and some
crosses are good in their way, oftentimes but
when once INDUCED in, the boundary lines of
discretion are often overstepped, and the re-
suit is failure. Those who wish to spend u
little money on the best breeds will be glad
of the following hints from a gentleman in
New Hampshire who has tried twelve differ
ent kinds for one year, and thus notes the re-
suits There are no kinds that will pay me
so well as the White LeghOrn and Black Span
ISL for eggs they have never shown any de-
sire TO sit. The White Leghorns are hardy
medium-sized, have quiet dispositions are
persistent layers, and of pure white color
They mature carly, and are superior to most
kinds for table use. The Spanish fowls are
not 30 quiet some, but if well fed they will
not stray far away from their walk, or the
barn or house l like these two kinds the
best for eggs. For early chickens for market
l consider the Plymouth Rock and Chinas the
best. They get their full size much earlier
than the Brahmas or Cochins. These four
kinds l shall call the best. l shall let my
Brahmas run with some others, as find they
are inclined to sit too much for my fancy"
For general utility no smaller bird is needed
Iuhh lhe DIONu LtBuOru OF dominique.
These two breeds are good for eggs and chick
ems (the latter being sitter, while the former
is not) They are also good for early chick
ems, and make splendid broilers; but to in
troduce weight and size a cross of BrahmA
blood must be employed. The p Cochns
are fine, sweet flesh producers, although not
so rapid in growth as some. They are shy
egg producers, and on account of this disad-
vantage have not met with general favor /;
while the Light Brahma is a universal favorite
The La Fleche, Houdan, CrevecOeur and
Dorkings are noted as rapid flesh producers
and best table birds Cochins and Brahmas
are more muscular, and their flesh is not so
white and juicy-hence their inferiority.
Houdans, CrevecDurs, La Fleche, Spanish,
Polands, Handbags and Leghorns are also
noted as egg-producers and non-stters. Ban
tams, Silkies, Sultans, Rumpless, etc, are kept
rs simply ornamental Hamburgs, Spanish,
Leghorns and Polands are classified as prolific
layers; Cochins Brahmas, Dorkings Games,
Dominiques and Plymouth Rocks are Chased
among the sitters Brahmas and Cochins are
deemed domestic and quiet, and are greatly
esteemed for those qualities, and deservedly
500. b." in Country Gentleman