Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-03-11
BLUE
An Ornamental md UscfcI Bird.

the blue Andalusian offers to the
poultry enthusiasts many good quail
ties. In the first place, to a thorough
American patriot one OF the most str1k-
ing points to be noticed at once tas a
well-known poultryman points OUT is
the fact that this bird carries the Ameri-
can colors, red In the comb, and wattles,
Whlte In the earlobes, and blue IN the
plumage, Intermediate in size W
the Leghorns and Minorcas, the Blue
Andalusian is also n graceful and
symmetrical bird, possessing both eauty
of form and of color.
TO the average pou~ltry-keeper, now
ever, handsome is as handsome does,
and a bird must have some practical
qualities in addition to it's beauty of form
and plumage in order to fully
1t. But 1t is in just such qualities That
the Andalusian Is especially strong, FOR
it is an excellent layer of large chalk
white eggs $50 much in dcma nd In many
of the leading markets.. and in one or
the recent laying competitions n pen or
fine Andalusian pullets laid $40 eggs, an
average for the year of 1G2 egg each.
which was considerably above the gen
cral average of the 800 competing birds.
FORM AND PLUMAGE.
The typical Blue Andalusian somewhat
resembles the Minorca in type although
much smaller in size, the standard weight
Of the former being: Cocks, 6 pounds.
h ms, = pounds; cockercls, > pounds
pullcts. { pounds, while the weight OF
the later is: Cocks, 0 pounds: hens. I IL
pounds cockerols, : 10 pounds. and pull
lots, 6 ~ pounds. In coloring, the An
d0lusian has no superior; the hackle.
Wingbows, saddle, sickles, and tail-coverts
of the male are a lustrous bluish-black
the rest of the plumage in both sexes IS
a clear, medium shade OF slaty blu
each separate feather being laced with
a darker shade. The heak Of both male
and female is horn color, the eye bay,
earlobe white, and shanks and toes =
leaden blue.
The enthusiast who goes in especially
for this breed may experience a little
difficulty in breeding them entirely true
to color, as a certain proportion of the
chicks vii, come either black or white.
The purchasers of eggs for setting. there
fore, should bear this in mind, and not
blame the breeder from whom the eggs
were bought for the off-colored birds
will be Just as good for laying purposes
as the others.
The origin of this remarkable breed
has always been somewhat obscure, al
though the weight of evidence would in
dictate that its original home was Spain
The question whether the And"'.siar
was a distinct breed or originated from
crossing black and 1hite fowls vii
never be settled probably to the salts
faction of everybody. But certainly tn,
bird az we know it to-day is the result
of years Of painstaking breeding b;
English fanciers. and to them belongs TIL
whole credit. 1t was in 1851 that the An
dalusian made its first appearance IL
England, a few specimens having beer
purchased from a ship touching at Ports
mouth. That these birds We're Ike theil
descendants in uniformity OF type Is no
to be supposed, but 1t is said they wer'
strong in the beautiful blue color which
is so much admired to-day. The reason
they are recommended so highly is o.
course, their prime laying ability. an
therefore any poultry enthusiast IS SAT-
in owning a pen.