The American poulterer's companion. A practical treatise on the breeding, rearing, and general management of various species of domestic poultry ...

Front matter

Chap, Copyright No...

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

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Chapter II. Poultry-houses

Victoria's Poultry-house 47

Lord Penryn's Poultry-house 47

Mowbray's Poultry-house 48

Scotch Poultry-house 49

Octagon Poultry-house 50

Our own Poultry-house 51

Ornamental Rustic Poultry-house. ............. 53

Cottager's Poultry-house 54

Fancy Poultry-house 55

Browne's Poultry-house 57

New York Poultry-house 59

Rustic Poultry-house 60

Poor Man's Poultry-house 60

Rhode Island Poultry-house 62

Virginia Poultry-house 63

Van Nuxen's Poultry-house 64

Cheap Poultry-house 64

Duck House 65

Chapter III. Accessories To The Poultry-house

Plans for Nests 66

Wicker-work Nests.

Cheap Nests

Straw Nests

Curious Nest

Secret Nests

Barrel Coop

Marque Coops

English Coop

Close Coop

Pen Coops.

Nest Eggs 72

Feeding Hoppers 73

Double Feeding Hopper 74

Scotch Feeding Fountain 74

Self-Feeding Hopper 74

Stool Feeding Hopper 75

Perfect Feeding Hopper 76

Feeding Trough 77

Water Fountains 77

Barrel Fountain 77

Bottle Fountain 77

CONTENTS.

Chapter IV. Wild Fowl

Sonnerat's Jungle Fowl 82

Bankiva Jungle Fowl 85

Ceylon Jungle Fowl 87

Fork-tail Fowl

Fire -backed Jungle Fowl.

Australian Jungle Fowl...

CHAPTER Y.

ASIATIC FOWLS.

Malay Fowl.. 98

Kulm Fowl 98

Cochin Fowl 101

Shanghai Fowl... 104

Brahma Fowls Ill

Emeu Shanghai Fowl 114

Chapter VI. Farm- Yard Fowls

Game Fowl 116

Dominique Fowl 121

Dorking Fowl 123

Bucks County Fowl 129

Ostrich Fowl 130

Bolton Gray Fowl 131

Frizzled Fowls 133

Silky Fowl 134

Rumpless Fowl 136

Spanish Fowl 138

Hamburg Fowls 141

Silver-penciled Hamburg 142

Golden-spangled Hamburg 143

Golden-penciled Hamburg 144

Silver-spangled Hamburg 144

Specimen Feather 145

Black Hamburg Fowl 145

Bantam Fowl 146

Black Bantam 148

Java Bantam 150

Nankin Bantam 151

Sebright Bantam 151

Creeper Fowl 154

Paduan Fowl 155

Chapter VII. Crested Fowls

Black Poland Fowl 159

Golden-crested Fowl 162

Silver-crested Fowl 164

Russian Fowl 165

Crisp-feathered Fowl , 166

Golden-spangled Poland Fowl 167

White Poland Fowl 167

Silver-spangled Crested Fowl 168

Ptarmigan Fowl 169

Serai Taook, or Sultan's Fowl. 172

Chapter VIII. Incubation

Artificial Hatching 178

Reaumur's Hatching Apparatus 1 79

Bonnemain's Incubator 180

The Potolokian , $* 184

Mr. Cantelo's Hydro-incubator ,. . . 185

American Egg-hatching Machine 186

Minasi's Incubator 186

Scientific Hatching Machine ... , . 187

CONTENTS.

Wingate's Method.

Chapter IX. Fattening Poultry

189 | Feeding-houses 189

Age of Poultry.

Chapter X. Killing And Preparing For Market

192 I Preserving Poultry 192

CHAPTER XL

DISEASES OF POULTRY.

Apoplexy 193

Vertigo.'. 194

Paralysis 194

Cartarrh 195

Gapes 195

Pip 196

Roup 196

Consumption 198

Crop-bound 198

Inflammation 199

Diarrhea 199

Costiveness 200

Loss of Feathers 200

Eating their Feathers ... 200

White Comb 201

Vermin 201

Rheumatism 202

Eating their Eggs 202

GUINEA-FOWLS. 226 I Crested Guinea-fowl 228

Chapter XV. Aquatic Fowls.— The Swan

Mute Swan 230 I Cygnets 233

White Swan 231 Black Swan 234

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XYI.

AQUATIC FOWLS.— THE GOOSE.

American Wild Goose 236

Domestic Goose 240

Toulouse Goose 247

Embden Goose 248

African Goose 252

Chinese Goose 254

White Chinese Goose 255

Barnacle Goose 257

Brant Goose 259

Egyptian Goose 260

Goose-houses, Nests, etc 261

Diseases of Geese . , 262

Plucking Geese : . . 263

Fattening Geese 264

CHAPTEE XVII.

AQUATIC FOWLS.— THE DUCK.

The Mallard Duck 265

Black East Indian, or Buenos Ayrean Duck 266

Musk or Brazilian Duck 267

Wood Duck 270

Mandarin Duck 271

Rouen Duck 272

Aylesbury Duck 274

Crested Duck 276

Hook-billed Duck 277

Penguin Duck 277

Canvas-back Duck 277

Red-head Duck 279

CHAPTEE XVIII.

WILD BIRDS SUSCEPTIBLE OF DOMESTICATION.

Curassow 290

Crested Curassow 290

Galeated Curassow 291

Capercaillie, or Cock of the Wood 292

Ruffed Grouse 293

Prairie Hen ... 295

Pheasant 297

Cock of the Plains 298

California Partridge 299

Great Bustard 300

Foreign.

CHAPTEE XIX.

POULTRY STATISTICS. , 301 i Domestic. ...

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

LITHOGRAPHS.

Malay Prize Cock 98

Shanghai Cock and Hen 104,

Lemon Cock and Hen 107

Game Cock and Hen 118

White Dorking Cock 126

Gray Dorking Cock , 128

Spanish Cock and Hen 140

Gold and Silver-laced Bantams 151

Black Poland Cock and Hens 161

Golden Spangled Poland 167

PAGE

Ptarmigan Chickens, Male and Female.... 169

American Wild Goose 237

Toulouse Geese 247

Black East Indian Ducks 266

Rouen Ducks 266

American Wood Duck 27G

Chinese Mandarin 271

White Aylesbury Ducks 274

Canvas-back and Red-head Ducks. 277

WOOD ENGRAVINGS.

Group of Domestic Fowls 31

Victoria's Poultry-house 45

Octagon Poultry-house 50

Our own Poultry-house 51

Ornamental Rustic Poultry-house 53

Fancy Poultry-house 55

Browne's Poultry-house 57

New York Poultry-house 59

Rustic Poultry-house 60

Poor Man's Poultry-house 61

Cheap Poultry-house 64

Duck House 65

Secret Nests 66

Wicker-work Nests 68

Barrel Coop 69

Tent Coops 70

English Coop 70

Close Coop 71

Pen Coop 72

Cheap Feeding Hopper 73

Double Feeding Hopper 74

Scotch Feeding Fountain „ 74

Self-feeding Hopper 74

Stool Feeding Hopper 75

Perfect Feeding Hopper 76

Feeding Trough 77

Barrel Water-fountain 77

Bottle Water-fountain 77

Japanese Wild Fowl 78

Sonnerat's Jungle Cock 83

Sonnerat's Jungle Hen 84

Bankiva Jungle Cock 86

Specimen Feather of Ceylon Fowl 88

Fire-back Jungle Cock 90

Fire-backed Jungle Hen 91

Australian Jungle Fowl 92

Group of Asiatic Fowls 95

Malay Cock and Hen 99

Group of Cochins 102

Yellow Buff Cochins 104

Shanghai Fowls 105

Group of Brahma Fowls 109

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

Emeu Shanghai Hen 114

Shawl-necked Game Cock 117

Dominique Cock 122

Dominique specimen Feather 123

Group of Dorkings 124

Bucks County Cock and Hen 129

Ostrich Cock and Hen 130

Bolton Gray Cock and Hen 131

Bolton Gray specimen Feather 132

Frizzled Fowls 133

Silky Fowls 134

Rumpless Fowls 136

Spanish Cock and Hen 138

Hamburg Fowls 142

Hamburg specimen Feather 143

Silver-spangled specimen Feather 145

Bantams 146

Black Bantams 149

Java Bantams 150

Sebright Bantams 152

Creeper or Dwarf Fowls 154

Black Poland Fowls 160

Golden-crested Fowl 163

Silver-crested Fowl 1 64

Russian Fowls 165

Crisp-feathered Fowls 166

Silver-spangled Crested Fowls 168

Serai Taook Fowls 172

Reaumur's Hatching Apparatus 179 l'AOE

Bonnemain's Incubator 180

Reaumur's Artificial Mother 182

American Egg-hatching Machine 186

Wild Turkey 204

Domestic Turkey 209, 215

Honduras Turkey 219

Brush Turkey..." 220, 221

Peacock 223

Guinea Hen 226

Crested Guinea Hen 228

Mute Swan 230

White Swan 232

Black Swan , 234

American Wild Goose 236

Domestic Goose 240

Embden Geese 249

African Goose 252

Chinese Goose 255, 256

Barnacle Goose 257

Egyptian Goose 260

Mallard Duck 265

Musk Duck 268

Crested Duck 276

Crested Curassow 290

Galeated Curassow 291

Capercaillie, or Cock of the Wood 292

Ruffed Grouse 294

Pheasant 296

California Partridge 299

Great Bustard 300

THE AMERICAN

POULTERER'S COMPANION.

INTEODUCTION.

Until within the few last years, it is not extravagant to say that the improvement of poultry was pretty much neglected in this country ; and it is only since the year 1840 that we have been aroused to an appreciation of their value. It is now, however, generally admitted that the rearing and keeping of poultry has become an important branch of rural economy, and that it is just as susceptible of improvement as any other kind of farm stock, by breeding from selected specimens.

The beneficial results arising from this attention to superior parentage are already marked ; and no one conversant with poultry can attend our exhibitions without seeing collected evidence of increased and increasing attention and improvement. At the same time, every specimen affords testimony quite as apparent that much yet remains to be accomplished ; and to impart information how this improvement is to be achieved — to decide what are the defects to be avoided and the excellences to be arrived at — to give accurate particulars of the good and bad characteristics of the different varieties, and to remedy the latter are the objects of this work.

Among the novelties of the age is the excitement that has been manifested within the last few years, particularly in some of the Eastern States, on the subject of improved poultry. The extravagances that have grown out of it have afforded the lovers of fun not a few occasions for jest and merriment ; 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 pre- B viously in matters out of which fortunes were to be made. Indeed we have seen these gentlemen as much galvanized with sleeping zeal to ascertain whether a particular variety of fowls should have four toes or five, as in collecting and adjusting the newly-found bones of the famous sea-serpent, or of a mammoth in a new locality. But it was ungenerous to laugh at them for this new type of human character ; for thousands as distinguished as they are have evinced in relation to other matters similar gushing impulses — the Multicaulis speculation for instance. Rarely does a year roll round and pass away without leaving on its tomb-stone some corresponding inscription of a new-fledged zeal that marked its authors for notoriety.

The motive which led these gentlemen into such perils to their reputation was excellent. The result to the community will be good without doubt. The chaff from their harvest will be blown away or burnt up, but there will be left a residue for use equal to the best wheat. Improvement in the breeds of farm animals is undoubtedly one of the most rational topics that has claim on the attention of the farmer. Individuals who have distinguished themselves in it — and there are several in Great Britain and this country — have achieved a reputation for themselves as undying and far more honorable than that of the greatest generals the world ever had. The feasibility of such improvement has been demonstrated to an extent that places it in the first class of objects in which successful enterprise in rural economy can be promoted. The principles on which such improvement is

THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION.

predicated are pretty well defined ; but the philosophy of these principles is among the unfathomable mysteries of nature. In this matter, as in numerous other ones, human science may advance to certain points; the facts discovered in the progress may be as prominent and incontrovertible as mathematical theorems, and is solid as the foundations of a gigantic mountain, or as transparent as the clear light of noon ; but beyond these points human science stands appalled — not a step onward can be made, not a gleam of light dawns upon the untrodden path ; in the prospective all is dark and incomprehensible.

Every national improvement in the breed _>f animals has originated in a certain degree of mania. " If such amateurs had not lavished their money upon the turf," says an English writer, "we should never have had such good horses commonly available ; and the same may be said of Short Horned cattle, South Down sheep, and priceless pigs." We most cordially assent to this, and gladly give our opinion that without "this promise of general usefulness" neither the exhibitions themselves would have received so large a share of public support, nor would their promoters have been so anxious for iheir success. Individuals there doubtless are for whom the Fantail-pigeon and the Lop-eared rabbit possess charms beyond the plumpest Dorking or the tenderest Poland ; but how few are they in number when compared to those who encouraged these exhibitions simply from a desire that " twelve months hence eggs should prove better, chickens cheaper, and all poultry more abundant than ever."

All this is literally and emphatically true in ■•elation to animal and vegetable physiology. We know that the different races of men, according to commonly-received theories, have been occasioned, in a long succession of generadons, by meteorological influences. But who can -ell why these influences in the human species -hould have led to the difference in organization, complexion, and mental endowment obviously characterized in the native American, the Asiatic, the African, the Malay, and European races ? None can tell. Conjectures may be raised ; hypothetical explanations may be propounded;

but the real truth lies deeply hidden from human investigation. And who can tell, in the feathered tribes, why there is such an infinite diversity in the plumage for instance? We mean not different species, but simply different varieties in single species. Why is there such an assemblage of varying hues in the silky vesture of the proud and exulting peacock, of the delicate and matchless bird of paradise, or even the beautiful little humming-bird, which seeks nourishment, like the honey-bee, from the flower-garden ? Man can no more explain this than he can explain why the same vegetable element whitens in the lily and reddens in the rose ; or why in one plant it becomes sweet, in another bitter, and in another acid. These things, and similar ones, are among the unrevealed canons of infinite wisdom. In relation to them the Author of them may and does say to us, as He says to the waves of the sea — "Hitherto shah thou come, but no farther."

Let us look at the tenants of the poultry-yard, and much indeed will be presented to our view worthy the consideration of the philosopher as well as the rural economist. The latter may easily estimate the pecuniary value of this branch of his investment and care; but can the former as easily tell us why there is an almost infinite diversification in the development of the charming birds that enliven the mansion and the surrounding inclosures on the well-disposed farm — diversification of form, of color, of voice, and of social attributes? Here is a countless number of mysteries in the animal kingdom, which a profound philosopher can no more explain than the most unlettered peasant. These things are beyond human conception. We can no more tell why there is such a variation and commingling of colors in the plumage of the poultry-yard, and why there are such deteriorations in the muscular organization and development arising from successive malproductions, than we can tell by what strange process a portion of the human family have become the pigmies called Aztecs, which attracted so much attention among the curious and philosophical. We may, indeed, say it is from the operation of the law of nature ; but of the operative principle of this law