Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-05-15
ObeDACKYARD
FAR~lFR8
y PROF, JWIlARD BOEIE
Copyright Western Newspaper 'aila)
BUFF FOWLS.

The three solid or self eelorcd types
Of domestic fowls are the White,
Black and Buff have taken up the
first two in previous articles. and viii
devote these few notes to the Buff
breeds. equally popular with the
Blacks. but much less SO than the
Whites.
The earliest buI checkers Of which
We have Ny record are Tie 8uT Co
chins These heavily upholstered
members Of the well known Hen Fam
lily We're introduced into this country
from China ports by some sea cap
tain who was in the China trade in
the old days CT the Yanliee clipper
ships Tradition says that they were
well and favorably known in China
and Mancluria fer centuries before
and the pair which were brought 20
this country were saved from the pot
only by chance Tie breed achieved
considerable popularity along the New
England coast and would undoubtedly
hold a very commanding position in
the poultry world today were it not
for their friends.
Early in the American history OF
the breed certain misguided Cochin
fanciers conceived the idea that IL
clothes make the man feathers make
the chicken" and that was the be-
ginning of the end for the unfor-
tunate Buff Cochin. These onthusi-
asts so arranged the standard descrip-
tion eff these fowls that it was neces-
sary to produce n tremendous growth
of feathers upon show specimens in
order to win prizes, and the result
was that the breed was changed in its
character. the young ones took almost
a year TO mature to the laying age.
laying ability was very seriously in
terfered with, and the unitarian value
of the breed for the farmer was en-
tirely destroyed.
From this original buff breed came
great many of the valuable Ruffs
that we now have, however. so they
have been Of some service to the roul-
try keeping public II is an undoubted
fact that Cochin blood was used In The
development of some strains ri sun
Wyandottes, Plymouth Rocks, Or
pingtons. Games. teghorns, and even
the Rhode Island Red contains its
quota OF Cochin blood The cham.
pions of many Of these breeds will in.
dignantly deny this imputation, but it
can and has been proved in the case
Of each of the buff breeds named. ard
really it is nothing TO he ashamed of.
Buff, as understood by the poultry.
man, is solid old gold tone, which
is to be aimed az but never quite
reached. In reality most buff chickens
ere a wonderfully discouraging mix
ture Of lemon orange rel, black and
white, these colors being so tangled
up that the breeder despairs OF ever
getting them Strengthened out The
red shows On the shoulders and the
hackle and saddle The white comes
in the wing and tail feathers, and Il is
sometimes so bad that there is no
hope of dyeing it or biting the white
spots out so that the Judge cannot de-
tect It, The black comes in the wings
most frequently, and it's removal is
often 80 impossible that the breeders
have to arrange their standard de.
scription to make black flight feathers
legal and desirable, in order to avoid
having all of the birds disqualified.
Owing to that old Cochin blooe tho
breeder of buff fowls has a fine time
preventing his smooth legged breed
from growing feathers en- the legs.
The Cochin has as many feathers or
his legs and feet as a pigeon has in
his wings, and they keep cropping out
In any breed that possesses Cochin
progenitcrs Another thing that both.
ers the buff fanciers is the vulture
hook of tho Cochin At the hook or
knee Joint viii appear a bunch Of long
stiff feathers that is not accepted in
polite chicken society, and this Is ono
Of the things That mallea the buff
breeders Of today curse the memories
Of the man who first thought Of using
Buff Cochins to make Buff WgaE-
dottes.