Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1912-07-30

The amateur poultryman, as well as
the general farmer, often feels as though
he had not been used right by the
breeder of whom he had purchased eggs
with the object of improving his flock,
when he sees the young chicks with
both single and pea combs and feathers
off color. 1t is not so well known as it
should be that all of our American
breeds have the natural tendency to re-
vert TO the original types from which
they have been developed. Even in the
hands of the experienced breeder, this
tendency shows itself and has to be con-
stantly fought against. / believe l am
right in saying that all our popular
American breeds have either Cochin or
Brahma blood in them. The Cochin has
a single comb and the Brahma pea comb,
while both have leg feathers. In breed
that has Cochin blood in it's formation
the tendency TO revert will give chicks
with more or less leg feathers and per-
centage of single combs.
Take for instance the white Wyan-
dotte, as l am able to speak from years
of work with that variety. 1t is sport
from the Laced Wyandotte. The con-
ditions of which speak are noticeable
in all varieties of the Wyandotte family,
but especially so in the white.
There are always more or less signs of
leg feathers and many single combs in a
large flock of this variety. Not only ia
this true, but it is also the case that
more or less dark feathers will be seen,
and no one need feel surprised il in a
flock of several hundred White Wyan-
dotte chicks there appears clear black
one.
These are not a sign of impure blood
or bad breeding, but they are simply a
"throwback" to the original parents of
the breed. OF course, the closer the Sc
lection and the better the mating the
less reversion there will be. do not
think any breeder has yet been able
wholly to overcome this tendency and
succeed in breeding large numbers of
chicks without some single combs, feath-
cred legs and dark feathers.
Breeders should not sell, except as
utility stock, any birds with any of these
defective markings, and probably most
of them do not do so.
However, for all practical purposes on
the farm, these things are of little impor-
u
nearly perfect specimens as possible for
breeders, the hen with few feathers on
her legs or black wing or tail feather
will do just as good work in filling the
egg basket as though she were more
fashionably dressed. The very fact that
she has these markings goes to show that
she possesses in strong measure the con-
stitutional vigor of the old parent blood,
and she may be all the better for it.
As a rule, the young chick does not
hatch out with its natural breed color
much in evidence. The chicks of all
white varieties are usually a canary
yellow when hatched, and do not
get the clear white of the breed until
some time later.
The Barred Rocks are very nearly
black at time of hatching, and show no
signs then of what they are TO be when
fully feathered and well matnred. Yet
| have known men who did not know
this to be very much put out and offend
ed with the breeder of whom they pur-
chased eggs. because their chicks were
'snothing but common black hens any
way"
1 am not writing this in the interests
vi tDt Ilcu WuO oCii osSo AoA dos~h6 NA
breeding stock, but for the purpose OF
setting these facts before the public
mind iD such a way that he who reads
shall know that he may fiud some or all
of these defects in his chicks, and still
feel that he has not been cheated by the
man with whom he dealt. 1t is always
necessary to make rigid selection OF the
breeders to overcome this tendency to
rsversion. I have seldom found more
than twenty young cockerels out of
every hundred that have considered
good enough to use as breeders. Others
migh ht be just as good, with the excep-
tion of some one or more of these de-
fects above noted, but II We breed from
defective birds we will be sure to get
many more defects than We will If We
make rigid selections.
Always keep the best for yourself is
good rule to follow in the poultry busi-
ness, as we'll as most other things. e.
C. Dow, Belfast, Me-, in Tribune Farmer.