So Fe Net eee OH Ce tae OO OAL IO LA a LO eh ttt mst An natn set iep-petutar- : “_ EES a saheee ~~ panne = a N ead Pee ee pen lt le ol ie a ae ate ne t. PATS Se Se ee a Ha § i) aye pat TO) ee try 1h ta ak ta ‘SIMO OILVISY JO anoud —\ ey ee f wha 7] RY Ne ‘TSNOM-AWLTNO S,VINOLOTA Nagano ~ eer THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. A Practical Creatise ON THE BREEDING, REARING, AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF , WABIOUS SPECIES OF DOMESTIC POULTRY. ILLUSTRATED WITH PORTRAITS OF FOWLS, MOSTLY TAKEN FROM LIFE; POULTRY-HOUSES, COOPS, NESTS, FEEDING-HOPPERS, &e., &c., &e. A NEW EDITION, ENLARGED AND IMPROVED. BY C. N. BEMENT. é WITH 120 ILLUSTRATIONS, 36,183 IN EW, YORK: Pate hac BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, FRANKLIN SQUARE. IESE 8k Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, by HARPER & BROTHERS, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the Southern District of New York. 4 iraoefer from hats Offices Lib, april 1914, Deke live Ae Cok: In laying before the public this new, enlarged, and much improved edi- tion of the “‘ American Poulterer’s Companion,” the author deems it necessary and not out of place to offer a few remarks regarding the undertaking. The work was first commenced in consequence of the urgent solicitation of nu- merous friends, who professed to think that I was well qualified for the task, and an authority upon which reliance could be placed, from the fact that the main portion of my lifetime had been devoted to the subject of poultry ; for from my earliest youth I have taken great delight in studying, compar- ing, and admiring our numerous varieties of domestic fowls, which tend so much to enliven and adorn our farm-yards. Impressed for a long time with the belief that poultry, under proper man- agement, might be made as profitable, according to the capital invested, as any other branch of industry properly connected to farming; and with the view of satisfying myself on that point, I kept an accurate account of ex- penses and income, and found, on footing up the account, my previous opin- ion confirmed. From this register of results I have been enabled to draw such observations as I hope may be found correct and useful to such as seek information on the subject. It is a common saying, that if we would sit down and write.that which we have practically learned upon almost any subject, the information imparted could scarcely fail of being useful. Just so far my ambition extends. Nor is the world entirely without need of advice on this subject, notwithstanding its antiquity and the multitude of counselors. Of this fact I have had am- Vill PREFACE. ple proof in my numerous visits to various parts of this country, where | have found, in too many instances, that a sufficiency of poultry could not be raised for the use of the family, notwithstanding large numbers were kept, in consequence of the want of care and attention in supplying them with proper food and shelter. And many have houses and yards for their poultry, who, in the use of them, are only guided by random suggestions or unwise examples of their neighbors. ‘They follow in the old beaten track, and, per- haps, even indulge a prejudice against all written instructions which lead them to change their course. ‘To such I would recommend this work, as unfolding no gigantic projects, indulging in no useless theories, tempting to no rash experiments, but exhibiting plainly, practically, and profitably, the best mode for the management of poultry. With this view I undertook the pleasing and delightful task. Although my labors are humble, I hope they will not be the less useful. I have not the vanity to suppose that I have excelled in every thing, but I fondly hope that the path may be render- ed more distinct and smooth for future progress. It is now more than eleven years since the “ American Poulterer’s Companion” was first published. It was the pioneer of American works devoted to poultry, and has passed through several editions. When I com- menced it, very little attention had been paid to the rearing of poultry. The profits arising from fowls were generally considered too insignificant to enter into the calculations of the farmer; and, consequently, the improvement of poultry was pretty much neglected in this country. In fact, many farmers considered them rather a nuisance, and “ cost more than they come to.” To be sure, there were a few connoisseurs who had imported some Game and Dorking fowls; but beyond that I have no reliable information. More at- tention had probably been paid to the Game than any other breed. Occa- sionally some Malay fowls were brought in our merchant ships, and found their way into the country, which very much improved the size of the com- mon farm-yard fowl. The object of rearing poultry and eggs for market may appear to some but a trifling concern; but a glance at the poultry statistics in the closing chap- PREFACE. ix ter of this volume will probably surprise and astonish many who had paid little or no attention to the amount consumed, or been in the habit of reflect- ing on the various items that go to swell our agricultural prosperity. In my endeavors to keep pace with the improvements of the age, I have been actuated by the most liberal views in obtaining the best and most reliable information that could be obtained on the subject, suited to the prac- tical breeder as well as to the amateur or novice. Among the novelties of the age is the excitement that has been manifested within a few years, in this country and Europe, on the subject of improved breeds of poultry. ‘It has had the effect of calling attention to the subject,” say the editors of the American Agriculturist, ‘“‘ not only in the different breeds of fowls, but to the care and general management of them, and much good will arise from it. It has awakened public attention to the true value of poultry as an article of domestic stock, or creatures of sufficient merit and beauty in themselves to render them worth attention beyond the common fowls of the barn-yard. The extravagances, however, which have grown out of it, have aflorded the lovers of fun not a few occasions for jest and merri- ment; for not a few of our notable savans in business and professional fame became as much absorbed with this branch of research as they would have been previously in matters out of which fortunes were to be made. Posi- tively it was ungenerous to laugh at them for this new type of human char- acter. ‘Thousands, as notable as they are, have evinced, in relation to other matters, similar gushing impulses. Rarely does a year roll round and pass away without leaving on its tombstone some corresponding inscription of a new-fledged zeal that marked its authors for unenviable notoriety.” Every one who directs his thoughts to the subject, will at once acknowl- edge that poultry are just as capable of improvement as any other farm- stock, by breeding from selected specimens, and the beneficial results arising from this attention to superior parentage are already very marked. From my own experience these facts are very apparent, and no one conversant with poultry can attend our markets without seeing evidences of great im- provement. Many specimens show increased compactness, roundness, and x PREFACE. symmetry ; shorter leg, clean head and neck, fuller and closer feathers, etc. ; still much remains to be accomplished. For information how this further improvement is to be achieved—for authority deciding what are the defects to be avoided, and the excellences to be arrived at—for sound practical di- rections in management—for accurate particulars of the good and bad char- acteristics of varieties, and for information on other points, all naturally turn to works published relative to poultry. Now we all know that no one has sought such aid without, in a measure, being disappointed. To remedy this defect, as near as possible, is the object of this work. In preparing this volume, no expense has been spared in the embellish- ments, as the best artists have been employed. Some of the spirited and lifelike portraits on wood were drawn by Mr. K. Van Zandt, of Albany, from living specimens in possession of the author. I hope, therefore, to merit the approbation of the public, and trust the work, in this new form and dress, will be favorably received, and found to combine the utmost economy and — utility, united at the same time with elegance and the facility of obtaining the desired end. In no other work, I believe, can be found so many portraits of fowls, and other embellishments. In short, my object and aim in this volume has been to furnish a full, authentic, and reliable work, adapted to meet the demand growing out of the interest recently manifested on the subject. And in the hope that it will serve to diffuse more widely reliable information in respect to the very important subject on which it treats, prove a welcome and valuable acquisition to the libraries of practical men, be found amusing and instructive to the young, and successful with the old and judicious, I make my bow, and intrust it to the public. C. N. Bement. CONT Eyl Pes: CHAPTER I. GENERAL VIEWS: DOMESTIC POULTRY. CHOICEIOR TNE COCK. 5.c.cncctesscosdcesaaccueenenes SB) MEayAN Mvaccssoswers snsescl-coscteseass sorte staseecente 36 Mhoicerofsthe! Hen ssa. ..c5..skeseees scscensceneees Sail Be Cun dityity.cescc sed coceecaecee cs eseeeceecnseoer eee 37 elechinevan deb ree din Oeecsesene cndecesetece neers Sd | WELOLtS cacesocicaesses wsesces soneess oseoscsecasensenee 38 MaMa CEMENT. .cctrescssecccutenssscsocesaseosececes DOU POO setetendevccdscovcacscstetesees sebecwsesereseeeeens 3s CHAPTER II. POULTRY-HOUSES. Victoria’s Poultry-house ............. scseseseee 47 |sBrowme’s Poultry-house).....ssssassetenesccseaces 57 Lord Penryn’s Poultry-house ..............0008 47 | New York Poultry-house...........cccseeseeeeees 59 Mowbray’s Poultry-house ............csceeceeeeee 48) EVUStIC Ee OULiTY=NOUSC sess esevcateck sere eetee 60 ScotchRoulbry-hOuse ......cc.cccecseorecoececnss 49 | Poor Man’s Poultry-house.............sceeeeeeuee 60 Octagon! Poultryshouse.....-.......se-ees0-+ 20-0 50 | Rhode Island Poultry-house..............0.0000 62 Our own Poultry-house ..............0..sseseesee 51 | Virginia Poultry-house..............s.ssseesseeees 63 Ornamental Rustic Poultry-house.............. 53 | Van Nuxen’s Poultry-house.............ceece0es G4 Cottager’s Poultry-house............-ssessseseeee baalCheapye oultry-hOUSCecess:cdecescosareess=