Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-01-23
Mistaken Theory That They
Cannot Be Bred Into One
Bird
Practical Breeders Have
Demonstrated Advantages
of Producing Both
by James p. Hopkins
Poultry Judge, Lecturer and Author.

Copyright, 1915.
The old theory that utility and fancy
qualities must be bred separately is
rapidly disappearing. In fact, Il is an
exploded doctrine. for both qualities
are now : ing combined by the most
progressive men In the poultry indus
try.
Surprising results have been obtain
ed at leading State and other cxperi-
ment stations. Beginners. therefore.
should not he discouraged by old
theories. but should study the possi-
bilities of breeding from stock with
good utility and fancy records. The
results will well repay them in finan-
cial returns.
Within the past few years. there has
appeared in the poultry press much
said in favor of utility until the aver
age beginner is utterly at loss as to
which road to take. In most cases
there has been no give-and-take in the
matter of utility or fancy. and both
sides have written in the majority of
cases from their own viewpoint,
The dyed-in- the-wool utility breeder
condemns anything that "smacks" of
the showroom and in some cases the
fancier is just as narrow regarding
utility qualities. But the reaction
can be seen, especially during the past
few years. Laying contests have had
much to do with this condition of af-
fairs, an dthe different State expert
ment stations. which. by the use of
trap nests, good housing and in some
cases careful feeding. have shown to
the poultry public that the so-called
utility breeders fowls have made good
records. But more remarkable still.
fowls from the yards of the fancier
have also been among the leaders.
Then the egg-type theory. as it was
III. 1
on the accepted egg type, from differ
ent breeders made wonderful records
So, as each year goes on. theories have
been relegated TO the rear and prac-
tical tests by experiment station and
the country's leading breeders have
shown that there is still much to
learn regarding poultry culture
Utility stands for productiveness in
the fowl, eggs and meat, and in pay
ing quantity. Whenever a flock is so
bred by progressive breeders that it
performs better than the average hen,
it is called a utility strain, an dherein
lies a fault becoming more general
each year. Anything that looks like a
chicken but has fair producing pow
ers has been labeled utility fowl" and
in many cases not to be disputed they
are little more than scrubs.
Utility Fowls Often Merely CulIs
In some cases utility fowls are sold,
lnOuBn IneN are CullS from the good
flock. and instead of finding their way
into the hands of the beginner in pouI-
try should have been sold on the open
market for what they could bring 1t
is in such cases that the beginner re-
ceiVes his first lesson in poultry and
many times 1t is his last in the pur-
chase of so-called utility stock, that
in reality are not more than culls.
The fact must be considered that the
gool utility strain of any breed, made
so by it's past and present records as
layers. or a combination of layers and
flesh formers, are worth considerably
more than a few cents above the mar
ket quotations. In fact, the Matching
eggs. day-old chick. or stock are worth
as much from utility standpoint as
the fancier's fowl with its showroom
points \ 200-egger is worth as much
as the leading blue ribbon winner at
any of the good poultry shows, for. in
spite of the high records one reads
about, they arc Just as hard to obtain
as point winner at the leading shows.
So, when one reads about utility
strains with price but a few cents
above the market quotations, ii Is time
to question whether they are really all
that is claimed for them. The fancier.
in spite of the opposition shown bv
the rank and file of commercial poul-
try raisers. has still held his own.
When the farmer wishes to improve
his flock either in Plymouth. Rocks.
| Wyandottes. Rhode Island Reds, Or
pingtons. Leghorns. etc. the fancier
has had the call for the order. Why?
( First. because everyone knows that the
| leading fancier has in his breed shape
characteristic. that is utility; second.
uniform color, that is fancy. and when
egg production is added to this IL
means a utility fowl in the fullest
sense. This is what more progressive