troughes with some wine and water mixte and so let them haue it daylye for a space or to giue them of Barlye halfe sodde and mixt with tares or the grayne calde millet Wheate Hennes doe commonlye seace laying about the third of Nouember whē the colde beginnes to come and then feeding on blackbriers elder other fruite but for being troubled ye might choose of the fairest hennes for to lay egges all the Winter as well as at other times which order is ye must nourish them with tosted bread and then soked ale or small Wine mixte with some water Some doe take of Water and milke and sokes the tostes therein from the euening to the morning and so giues it them on the morrowe to their breakefast and at night they giue them some otes or barlye and for the tyme ye must not let them be troden of the cock and after the firste laying also lette them be kepte from the Cocke and so they will long continue good and when your hens are past three yeres it shall be best to sell or to eate them for after those yeres they will hardly lay but waxe barren therefore it shall be good to change them for youger hennes if ye can againe some do marke the places of those hennes which are giuē to lay mute or make no noyse those hens must not bee lette go abrode to seeke their neastes for else ye shall haue small profite of them but only to bath them in the sun when the day is faire and thē to fee them had in againe If a henne be troden of a crow as some be she either dieth or waxeth barren or prospereth not after ¶ Chickens of a later broode Cap. 11. THose Chickens that come of a later brood some good huswiues doth hold opynion that they will be better layers then those that come in the spring the other saith they are best for that purpose if they may bee norished and well fed in the first wynter but yet by your leaue they wil be more tender in cold times then the other that are bred in the spring because they are all winter brought vppe in the house wherefore they are calde house chickens but those hennes that brings vppe their chickens abroad and neuer comes in the house all sommer are the best and they will bee muche fayrer and harder to lyue then the other brought vp in the house also more profitable if she can keepe them from spoyling till they be great How to feed Chickens from the damme Cap. 12. TO feed nourishe Chickens from the damme ye must vse to giue them meat thrise a day in the morning noone and at night and also to giue fresh water and alwaies sette by their meate so shall yee alwaies keepe them fayre and from the pippe for when they haue eaten any meat they will desire to drinke therevnto and if they haue not alwayes freshe water by them they will seeke drinke of the next puddle and foule water they find and that will soone breed in them the pippe by the which it causeth a mortall poysō in them and it will make them droope and hang their wings at length dye thereof And yee must clense out all the tares and darnell from the barley and other meate ye giue them and so feed them with the foresaide meate till they waxe more stronger ye must also perfume them with penneriall and rosemary and to perfume your other poultrie ye shall take Isope Linseed or flaxe and burne it and hold the heads of your poultrie with their mouths open ouer the said fume this will preserue them also from the pippe ¶ The pippe and the cause to helpe also Cap. 13. AL Poultrie are subiect to the pyppe on the tongue which will grow on the end thereof like a thin scale and it will let them to feed One occasion there is when they lacke drinke or else when they haue dronke trobled or filthy water or haue eaten of filthy and stinking meate out of the chanell donghill or other durtye place whereas lyes the garbage of some filthy fleshe or such like or any euyll sauoure will breed the pippe Therefore if ye fume your poultrie sometimes with Sauine Bayes Rosemarye or Gynnsper it wyll saue them from the pippe Also they saye the pippe will be a hard scale on the tip of their tongues to helpe the same some takes it of with his naile and some do steepe a cloue of Garlicke in oile oliue wherwith they chafe rub his bill they do make thē to eate of stauesaker among their meat also Dioscorides saith the beries leaues of Priuet to bee giuen them will preserue both Cockes and capons from the pippe againe some doe vse to giue them Garlike cut in peeces with butter and giuen them when the pippe is take of then with your mouth to spurt a little Ale Wine or Beare into their mouthes Againe other some doe raise the pippe softely with their nayle or the point of a Knife so takes it off gently and wash it then with ale or beare and so let him go or to rubbe it with salte and Vinigere or laye thereto of beaten Garlic whiche is counted good agaynste the pippe agayne others doe keepe the pippe whē it is taken off giues it him to drink with ale or beare and they saye it will helpe wherof they haue a prouerbe which sayth if he eate not the pippe the pip will eate him and also to saue them from the piype some doe put into their throtes the blades of Garlick stieped in warme oyle and doe sprinckle their billes with mens brine warme and then holdes them close together along time after so that by the bitternesse of the vrine makes thē to caste the pippe and fleame at their nose Wilde grapes mixte with other meate is good for them or beaten and stampte and so giuen to drinke with water These are good remedies for poultrie that are sieldome sicke if fleame haue already take their eyes they will not then eate then must ye slit their iawes to cause the matter to come forth that is gathered vnder their eyes then rubbe it with a little beaton salt and parcelie this greefe breedes commonlye when they abyde much colde weate and hunger or in sommer when they drinke of a standing puddle or foule water as is before sayde agayne Chickins when they waxe olde are subiect to haue the Rie in their heade and eyes catarres rumes and distillations at their nostrils thorowe the colde and numnesse of their feete and to drinke the water of yse or frosen water or too much colde taken thorow the faulte of the henhouse being to open in the night or sitting abrode on Trees or vnder the eaues of houses when it raynes and suche extreame colde causes them to be more founded in their feete which in some poultrie breedes the goute specially in tender byrdes as yong Turquies and suche and
with the blades where they dongue there comes nothing after but euill weedes the Ganders are louing to all the yong Goslings they are better to be all white then gray or mixte with two coloures and the black coloure is worste of all and of leaste goodnesse ¶ The laying and setting of Geese and feeding the yong Goslings Cap. 37 THe Goose doth laye at three times in the spring if she doe not sitte at fyrste she will lay fiue Egges then foure and then but three and some will lay at eache time twelue egges and some more which time is from the fyrste of March vnto the ende of Iune and then no more wherfore ye shall not forget her fyrste laye but set them for they will prooue best and the time best to set your Geese is after winter is gone as from the firste of Marche vnto Iune and not after and when they haue layde their later laye they will couet to sitte all the rest of the yeare they lay not yee muste also looke well to their laying that they laye not abrode for when they are enclinde to laye they will take vppe strawes as they goe and will cast them aside here and there on eache side of them and soone after then they will laye wherfore towarde night ye must take them vp and feele how many be ready to lay which ye shall perceiue if shee be nye laying yee shall feele the ende of hev egge harde at her vent then shut her vp and putte her alone in a neast till she haue layd so she wil seeke that place agayne to lay where shee haue bene before and when you sette her take heede of her egges for ye must sette her of her owne egges for a Goose loues not to sitte but of her owne egges if yee set her of others ye must haue part of hirs withall and then marke al the other egs or else hers with ynke or suche like for they saye a Goose will not hatche the egs of another if she sitte not of her own withall They set the Goose on her egges as the pehenne on her egs with fiue or more vnder her but at least they sette her with three egges ye maye set a Goose with seuen or nyne egges and the moste doe set a Goose but with fifteene Egges ye muste also remember when yee sette her to laye in the straw vnder hir of strong nette rootes which will in hatching preserue the goslinges is speciall good againste the stinging with nettles for thereby they saye they shall take lesse hurt by stinging and if there chaunce any to be stong they dye thereof commonly soone after To hatch in colde times the Goose wil haue then thirtie dayes and in temperate tymes she will hatche being well vsed in xxv dayes at the moste and when they are hatched they must not then go abrode or forth of the penne house or courte the space of tenne dayes till they waxe more stronger but feede them in the house with the Dam and giue them Barly meale or ote meale or stieped wheate some do giue them Garden cresse chopte small therewith whiche will make them to haue an appetite they giue them sometime of stieped barlye or mault or meale chopt with Hemtockes and so giuen or else with barlye meale stieped and mixed with honyed water it shal be good to keepe them in the house with the damme and there to feede them with meate and water till they may flie the daunger of Crowes and Kites for when they are small the fleshe crowe will fette them away if any remayne behynde the damme and when they are able to auoyde the crowe then ye may let them go abrode with the damme or in a fayre daye being yong yee maye put them abroade with the dam hauing one to keepe them and setting a Bason of water and meat by them or else not put abrode and yee must looke they be not stung with nettles or scrat with briers and thornes nor when they haue great hunger to let them go abrode but to giue them Succorye small chope or the tender leaues of Lettise if ye then let them go abrode to feede in pastures being yong and hungrie they will force themselues to plucke at hearbes which grow fast and so falles backe and lye sprauling on their backes are so taken with Kytes and Crowes Therefore it shall be more sure to keepe them with the Damme in the house till they are more of strength and giue them of mill wheat or other wheate steept in water and sette by them when they are more stronger yee may put them in houses with others to fat as heereafter shall appeare Stephanus saith at the months end ye may then chose your yong geese fatte them then take the fairest and put them vp into a court or penne and fatte them for the yonger sort of geese ye may fatte them in xxx dayes the elder sorte in two moneths yee must giue thē meate thrise aday of barly mele and whay or to giue them steeped wheate in water and honey The barly doth make their fleshe white and the whaye doth norishe and fatte them Some do take figges new dride and thereof makes a paste and giues them and their drinke must be bran and water and some when they doe fatte them do pluck their fethers of their heds and bellies and the great fethers of their winges and then sieles vp the eyes of the old Geese when they fat them and giues them beanes and pease and fayre water which is a good fatting meate for the countrey Goose and also they feede them with all sorts of poulse first soked in warm water and branne which doe feede them wel and manye doe giue them branne alone made somewhat fatte and doth also giue them of lettise of Succorye or Cressis to make them haue an appetite and feedes them so thrise a day ¶ The fatting of yong Geese Cap. 38. COlumella sayeth when yong Geese are foure moneths olde then they take the greatest and fayrest to fatte them for while they are yet but yong it is the better fatting of them then when they are more older and these neede not to haue no other thing but Barlye meale and the flower of meale and to be fedde therewith thrise a daye and they must haue drinke continually with their meate ye must also keepe them in a close house or dark pen and kepte warme withall which serueth much to make them forwarde to fatte and thus in two moneths ye may fat thē well or in sixe weekes the sooner when they are yong and tender then when they are tough and olde and some will chaunge their meate often and they will feede the better and be the sooner fatte ¶ How manye Geese to one Gander with other gouernment Cap. 39. OUr Aunceters did giue but 3. Geese to one gander and we giue sixe but for marring staining of medowes pastures and fields they are profitable for
not lay so well nor take the cocke as when they are kept in a meane ¶ Of Peacockes the nature and feeding Cap. 50. THe Peacocke is a strange bird to seed and to gouerne for they hardly bee so familier with any person as other birdes will A breefe rehersall of Columella which saieth to nourishe peacockes requireth a more dilligence in a Ciuile person then in a rude troublesome farmer for it is the part of a good keeper of birdes to seeke all meanes hee canne to make them gentle and tame in so doing yee maye easily nourishe these kinde of birdes or else not and to haue places made fit for them to be kept in the greatest parte of theire feeding they prouide for theÌ„selues abrode The Pehenne doeth willinglye nourishe her young as though she were in bondage vnto them They do prepare for them a square court with high walles to nourish and feede them in and there vse them to the cal when they do feed them like other poultrie Their delight is to be alwâ—ies among bushes abroad they couer their walles makes round aboute long galleries for theÌ„ to walke vnder with perches made square and mortred on the walles and often to be made cleane Afore three yeeres the hennes are commonly barren and of smale heate and after three yeeres they will breed well The Cockes haue an amorous heate as muche as the house cockes and therefore they giue hym fiue or six hennes for he is ready to treade the henne that comes from laying Wherfore hee marres the egges of some within the henne which are not yet already formed hee wyll not suffer her to bring them to perfection and by the anger then of that henne the egge fales from her before they are halfe ripe also at the end of winter ye must feede both male and females giue them plenty of meate to make theÌ„ in more heate to giue parched beanes on the imbers when they are colde is a good feede for them to giue to eache birde twelue ounces thereof and to vse it foure or fiue daies together And also to feede eache by themselues in their pennes and to set faire water by theÌ„ alwaies and when ye put them abroade let the males go with the females whyche will doe well ye shall haue some Cockes so sterce that they will not suffer other cockes to tread their hennes Therefore in all such times it shall doe well to seperate them with perticions in hotter countreyes the pecockes doe enter into their heate when the East windes commonlye blowes as sayeth Fauonius whiche is from the xv of February vnto Marche or after the signe when they enter into heat is when the Cockes doe spread their taile feathers the saying is they make a wheele So when the hennes are troden ye must looke they laye not in out places abroad but in their houses and at eueninges yee must feele if any henne be nye to laye or harde with egge for in laying they will let them sodayn fall from them wherefore ye shall shut them vp which will laye so that they lay not abrode but in their houses whiche muste bee strewde thicke with strawe vnder their perches to saue their egges when they fall from them for as they sitte on their pearches sodayne their egges falles from the hennes and then if they light not softe they breake Therefore make your pearche the lower that they fall not so farre and their laying is in the morning then searche diligentlye for to gather vp their egges which egges will sooner hatche being newe then beeing olde and when ye set any henne those pehennes that sit not will laye their layinges in the spring of the yeare and those that sitte waxe so poore and troubled in bringing vp of hir chickens those hennes will laye no more that yere the other that laye commonly thrise the firste time shee will lay commonly fiue egges the seconde tyme foure egges and the thirde time shee will laye but three or else two egges ¶ The time best to set your pehenne Cap. 15. ANd when you wil set your henne ye must set her with some henne egges withall which ye must chuse to bee fayre â—lde and great and sette your henne with theÌ„ in the beginning of the Moone set her with nine egs to sit thereon nine days of which egges there oughce to bee fiue Pehenne egges and foure henne egges and on the tenth day take awaye all the henne egges and put vnder her foure other hen egges to the end that on the thirtith day after in the next new Moone all will hatche together and when the henne doth rise and is gone from her neast yee muste turne her Egges with your hande and those that ye turne marke the vpper sides thereof with ynke that ye maye knowe which is turned when she riseth agayne and when she hath hatched let her then go wyth the young not farre abroad before fiue thirty dayes but tye hir by the leg with a long string and so keepe her in ye must also see to the yong pecockes where the damme doe loue them or not for some will forsake them and ye shall suffer no other henne that haue yong Chickens to come where the Pechicks are vntill they be great for shee which haue other Chickens of hers her nature is such shee will hate and forsake her owne Chickens and loue the other because shee seeth the Pechickes greater and fayrer then her own The pehennes haue the like disease as other poultrie haue and are cured with the like medecines as the rie â—ippe and such and when they are seuen moneths olde ye must then see they be had to roost a nights with their dammes but let them not sitte on the bare earth if they sit thereon yee shall set them on pearches as aforesayde to the ende they take no colde for that will bring them to like diseases as the other ¶ Of the goodnesse of the Pecocks flesh and their nature in laying Cap. 52. STephâ—â—us sayth that Pecockes flesh doth nourish much and are greate eaters and hard to bring vp or breede They neede no dayly tendaunce but let that yong go with their dammes They will marre Gardens and fieldes of corne they loue a hote temperate ayre and to breede alone in bushes our auncetoures didde make inclosures by theire Gardeâ—s and houses with cages therein for them to go in and other closures to nourish them in but we make not so great matter of it it shall suffise her to lodge them aboue the hennehouse and yet they loue to be at libertye and fit on hie Trees rather then in houfes or places beneath which places ought to be dayly cleane kepte and where as they sitte a nightes yee shall often finde their egges falne from them and after a henne hath layd and hatched and brought forth her yong she will lay sieldome in three yeares after and when a Henne beginneth to laye shee will steale from the
vessels a part eache Quayle by himselfe whiche will make them sooner to fatte they loue to eate greene wheate and also of other wheate whiche is theyr principall meate They vse muche that circuite where they are commonlye bred they breede in Corne fieldes and in Pastures they will haue fiue or sixe at a time and breede but once a yeare they loue the place whereas there groweth muche elleborye called neesing powder of some whereof Didimus sayth their flesh is laxatiue and also will make ones head heauy and also will make ones heade heauy and euill and for this cause some doe searâ—â— them with Wheate and boyles them wel therewith if any find greefe thereby they drinke the decoction that millet is sodd in or the seede of Myrre which is good also to giue Quayles to eate the yong loues to be feeding among grasse to be picking on flies and such The tame yee maye vse them to a call as ye doe your chicken ¶ The Gulles how to feede Cap. 74. GUlles doe breede in the rockes and bankes of the Sea in extreame cold weather they flye from the Sea into the Lande and liues on mountaynes and playnes and they feede there on wormes and suche as they canne get and they that doe fatte them doe take them readie to fly in holes and rockes by the Sea syde and then they feede them the old are not good to fatte they feede both with fishe fleshe as the liuers of beastes and fresh sea fishe as place and such cutte in smal peeces and giuen them their vessels of water oughte to be pannes of earth filde with fayre water then lay therein brick battes or stones that they bathe not therein for they will desyre to bathe and that will keepe them leane their meate must be chopte rewe and layde on boordes and they commonly fighte and crye one with another and they be great rauenars and oughte to be fedde twise or thrise a daye with sweete meate and they vse to laye it in fayre water to keepe it sweete two or three dayes they breede but once a yere and will haue foure or fiue in a neast or more ¶ Of Puets Cap. 75. PUets are byrdes or fowle that breedes in Rocks and bankes by the Sea they are taken young from the neastes like the Gulles and fedde for banquets they are a dayntie fleshe and pleasaunte to eate They are kepte to fatte in large houses and courtes for some doe vse to put them in parts for they will fight like the gulles one with another and those that they intende to eate shortlye they feede them a parte with curdes for that will soone fat them and make their flesh whyte sâ—pâ—â—te and fayre so will not those fed with flesh as lyuers of Oxen and sheep smally chopt as is aforesaid of the gulles layd on fayre boords twise a day for they are rauenars to giue theÌ„ fayre water laid with stones like as ye do for Gulles aforesayd for bathing wil kepe theÌ„ lean they breede but once a yere haue 5 or 6 at a time or me ¶ Of Fesantes and their nature Ca. 76. STephanus sayth it is a great curiositie to nourishe the olde Fesants which Columella doth name them hens of Numidie but for those that may feede them it is both pleasure and profite but ye must haue one to doe no other thing for they require great attendaunce yee must make their Court somewhat hye set also with bordes agaynste the walles round about the court in length their pearche made so to sitte where the sunne may shine and each byrd his place and also to haue one generall house to clense the hens and to giue them meate and closed all aboue before with laths very nie together about the height of a pole from the earth well couerd all ouer also the Fesante Cockes and hennes are byrds of a stoute courage and are not content to be enclosed or made tame if they bee aboue a yeare olde and the olde hennes are greeued and disdayneth to lay or sit and the yong wil not so soone agree with the ayre being so constrayned there because it is not lyke the Region from whence they were take also there must be giuen to one male two females the Females laye but once a yere and she beginneth in Marche and layth some twentye egges by order or she stint and then shee sits on all together or ye may giue xv of hits and the rest of other straunge egges â—f ye will she sittes thyrtye dayes and in setting them yee must haue the lyke dilliâ—euce as of your house hennes and these â—ust not bee without their houses and the â—ong being once hatched shal haue a mixâ—ure made of sodde barlye branne then â—olde and giuen and to giue them wheat â—eale the whiche yee shall sometymes â—ire together and so giuen sometimes of â—rashappers and the egges of Ants and â—ten to change their water to haue it still â—eane for they are subiecte vnto the like seases as the house hennes are ¶ How to fat Fezantes Cap. 77. THe auncientes did vse to fat and nourishe the Fesantes both Cockes and hennes not onelye for increase but as weâ— for feasts and banquets and in the beginning they giue them water and wine mix together to make them forget their natuâ— rall place and then they feede them witâ— barlie meale steeped in water and grounâ— beanes and stieped barlye mixte togetheâ— with millet and also naues and linseed boylde then dryde and mixte with barly meale and likewise to heate them and 〈◊〉 purge them they did vse to giue them fâ—nigreke the space of fiue dayes and so thâ— were clensed and mude in forty dayes aâ— thus some keepes them that are of skil nourishing of daintie Fowle and Colmella sayth ye may well giue them me to fat them for banquets for few or no being wylde hennes are giuen to lay or sit being kept in bondage and bredde vp abrode ¶ Of Godwits Knots and Stynts Cap. 78. THe Godwits and Knots are taken yong they breede in holes and Rockes by the Sea and also in Ilandes nye the Sea they are exteemed a dayntie meate and pleasaunt and costlye to keepe and make fatte for they are commonlye fedde with Wheate and fayre water other feeding I haue not knowne ¶ Of Plouers Cap. 79. THere are two kynde of Plouers the one is called the greene Plouer which â—ue cal the Lapwing and the other is cald â—he gray Plouer which breeds in Ilands â—ye the Seas or in great heathes and â—arrishe groundes and also the greene Plouer breedes commonlye in marrishes â—eathes Fieldes and suche they breede â—ut once a yeare and when they lay as in Harche and Aprill they will not haue â—ast foure or fiue yong their feeding is â—mmonly on Wormes and flies and such as they can get they will hardly be made came being enclosed for they are a wylde kinde of peuishe byrdes to tame They are fedde with wheate and