Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-01-17
The Improvement of Fancy Poultry

4 correspondent Of the Country Gentleman I.
writes It's follows
Ii has been limited at IN previous artl
ale that q great many of what are called
fancy fowls are far from being i'm
rrayemel.t on the common stock. 1t is a
notorious fact that instead of there being
great improvement Of late n the quality,
they have become in many instances almost
useless FOR the purpose for which poultry are
supposed 10 be used. Having looked for
The reason of this general complaint, find
it has two principal causes-disease and
careless breeding. In almost all the yards
I have visited I found the roup was
doing the greatest harm, so much as 10 dis
gust many from ever keeping this sort OF
stock again. 1t Is a great pity that there
should be no certain wav of getting free from
this fearful disease many have thought they
were rid of it, when suddenly it has broken
ont without renewed violence. One person
ssvs he twice sold and killed Oft all his fouls,
built new houses, ETC.. and bought no fowls
bat that appeared in the soundest health; in
.act the hens were all laying and in another
q -e the party, on a new place, raised all his
fowls from eggs purchased yet both have
the disease among their poultry badly, and
there j. no doubt IN my mind but the Oh-
spring Of rOupy fowls are not only pretty
sure ID be diseased, and mnch more liable TO
.5c than others when attacked with it. Some
u.o ave not been troubled with this dis
ease lave been visited with chicken cholera
Ter raues. which carrie off more and faster
cham r1up. Diseases such a these, OF course.
wIll prevent any bisd being prolific. and as
tie first often fingers many mOnti :, AMI IN
taet becomes chronic, II should not cause sur
Prise Il hens that were good before, should
never lay again after having the rOup but
t-.. a ffaahr rbnu ahould lay breed
ing from SUCH OF any fowls that have proved
interior IN quality, must have bad effect
ana cause deterioration ; yet this practice u
mach too common. That selection which
nature bad provided for the wild fowl L NJ
longer allowed sometimes in consequence
Of scarcity Of stOcz (many commencing witt
Z pair IT trio) they breed from all, instead
gf Il select few that bsve proved stout anC
healthy az well az prolific.
= l. is not every one who undertakes K
keep fowls that is good Judge Of them ye
FL is quite necessary 20 cultivate an eye 10
poultry. as II IS for q horse. IN order 10 breet
up % the best form, ard neither should W
rely upon our own judgment alone, io
often fine feathers will deceive Us, and stocs
select q 10 breed from may De wanting IN sta
NINA OF pure blood, she offspring, 10 conse
queuce, being quite inferior 10 our ezpecta
u0n.
.I have selected fowls sometimes tina
aVpcareI 10 have the most desirable point
.Jl color. against my better judgment where
as, IF two cocks were TO be chosen from, on
aavug the finest feathers, the other far supe
riur H. strength vvacity and courage. th
3 after should IA It certainly be used to bree
, from. especially when equal in purity q
blood thus / have seen both Derby an
, silver Duckwing games produced Of th
{ highest excellence, both IN color and form
r from cocks that were not perfect blac
2 breasted, and rather poor IL shade Of plu
= mage
2 Let IL not be supposed I would hel
+ T-vocate what have previously proteste
/ j -ainst-neglect Of points 10 breeding
{ sulv intend 10 show that it is necessary
IS @ We considerable knowledge Of the subJe'
Z breed with certain improvement sa
d / would not RELY upon my own judgmeI
u as to which was the best fowl to breed iron
[ would rather call in to my assistance tn
pugnacity which was given for natur
p selection, and use the one which could star
i1 a fyht the best lin a natural manner), II b
- show If there il any strength of constitution
!" would not improve the stock much if 4
y able to stand pref y hard battle; IN tryI
~ this experiment, II Is well 10 mutiie the sp
= Il sharp and long. 1t will be noticed az
q rather singular circumstance that this sele
H tion would lead US to choose very often {
T. smaller cocks to breed from, which 10 a no
:, ice would appear quite wrong to do wi
slch fowls as Dorkings and the Asiat
~ breeds vet the result will always be sat-
q factory in the end. The birds, even wi
ir tlese, are more shapely, vivacious, bett
LAYERS and breeders. and altogether much bC
ter looking. As for size, would rath
take my chances with a smallsh cock vi
y treat vigor and fine form, matched, Of cour'
with large hens free from defect, than
keeping always the largest and best mark
Ia alone to breed from. | think my chance
~ getting heavy show fowls equal, if not :
r. perior.