Morning journal and courier., 1891-07-14
Fresh Meat for Fowls.

[From the American Poultry Yard-l
While nobody of very great experience
in caring for poultry will pretend that fur
nishing them with more or less meat in
some form is not essential to their good
condition and to aid in the production of
eggs, the question with many is, ''whsn
and what kind of meat shall we procure
to supply the needs of our fowisF' We
reply that the thing is more attAinAble
than at first view appears possible
In the first place, far more scraps of
meat might be made available in every
household than all are aware of. ANY
bits of dry or forgotten relics of roAsts,
or broils, or soups may be carefully cut
into bits and served in small quantities
every day to your flock. The ayidity
with which these are devoured invite to
new efforts to supply their wants; and by
consulting your butcher, you will find the
hvers, lungs and hearts of the creatures
killed in the shambles will often be sold
at extremely low rates, and after being
boiled, furnish a rich and eKhilRrating re-
past to your fowls. A sleeps head,
though formidable In appearance and
clumsy to handle, is the next best thing;
and when it is chopped in fine pieces with
a dull axe, and packed into large dinner
pot and boiled until the meat and brains
drop from the bones, You will be aston
ished, not only at the great amount of rich
food thus obtained, but at the greediness
which your flock manifest to dispose of it.
An occasional meal of this meat-thRt is,
meal which allows every hen at least
three or four Jumps of meat the size of a
hazelnut-will tell in favor of thrift.
We are often asked whether spoiled or
tainted meat may be fed TO fowls with i'm
punity. We say yes, provided it is well
cooked. 1t seems to be followed with no
i'll results generally. The hen is not a
cleanly feeder, anyhow. She revels in q
steaming dunghill. Even If fed exclusive
ly on the cleAnest, incest provender, the
contents of her gizzsrd are always often
sive to the smell when dissected immedi-
ately after death. Yet perfectly fresh,
sweet meat is to be preferred.
breeding for Eggs and Meat.
Correspondence OF the Country Gentleman
If any one viii study closely such egg
records as may come to his notice, think
he will find that the best are those of
FIRST crosses" In order TO keep up q
supply of stock of this character one must
have breeding pens of pure stock, and
also others for obtaining crosses; it is
much easier to keep one breed only and to
keep it pure. AT first thought the Brahms
seems an ideal bird for those whose chief
believe that no farm fowl, compelled to
contend more or less with snow or wet,
has any business with feathered legs. On
the other hand, many of the smAll-bodied,
smooth legged breeds have high combs,
greatly to their detriment
On the whole, perhaps the farmer who
cannot afford the work and care necessary
to produce first crosses cannot do better
than to use each year cocks which shall
best represent the quality in which the
flock seems to be most lacking II good
in size, but lacking in vigor and highest
egg production, pure blood from one of
the active Spanish breeds, Deghorns or
Minorcs, for instance, will correct the
| failing. After a year or two, a larger
| frame for meat may be added, when Brah-
| ma blood may be introduced. The leg
| feathering, which is sure to come with Il,
and the high comb that will come with the
i Spanish blood, should be bred out again
as soon as possible. Always when q well
i bred Wyandotte cock is used, the low,
broad WyandOtte comb will appear; and
whenever the flock needs no special feA-
ture believe the Wyandotte cock to be
| the best to use; ii has also the American
ideal smooth, yellow legs Largest size,
| however, it of course cannot give.
A good breed is good thing, and much
may be done by careful breeding; but the
trite maxim that care and feed count more
than breeding contains sound sense, if
| eggs alone are in question. On the carcass
breed tells quickly, even feed and care
cannot produce ten-pound Leghorns.