How many of you keep chickens at your homes?
Why do many kinds of people keep chickens?
What breeds of chickens do you keep?
How many other breeds do you know?
Describe the appearance of a few of the commoner breeds.
Why are there so many different breeds?
Name those that are good laying breeds.
Name breeds that are not usually considered good laying breeds.
To the teacher.—Chickens are kept by all classes of people. Many keep them for the profit in eggs and meat, others keep them as a fad, and others to gratify a craving for animal companionship. There are one hundred and seventy-five recognized breeds, varying in size from that of the Japanese bantam weighing ten ounces to that of the huge Brahma which weighs fourteen pounds. The shapes and colours present as great a variation as the sizes. The breeds that are usually regarded as good layers are White Leghorn, Barred Bock, and Rhode Island Red, while the Game breeds are usually regarded as poor layers. Careful tests prove, however, that there are good laying and poor laying strains in every breed, and care must be taken to select from good strains, since the breed is not a sufficient guide.
At the close of the first lesson, assign to the pupils the task of making a chicken census of the district as follows: