The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1918-08-15
AMERICAN BREEDS OF POULTRY

! Because none of the imported
breeds were wholly satisfactory, Ame.
rican poultry keepers deliberately set
about originating type that should
meet the needs of the farmers of this
country They produced what have
come to be known as general-purpose
fowls-birds midway in size between
the Asiatics and the Mediterraneans,
heavy layers of brown eggs in the
winter that also carry enough flesh
to make them valuable for market
poultry.
Several breeds attained degree OF
popularity; but when the plymouth
rock was shown at Worcester, Massa-
chusetts, soon after the close of the
Civil War, it met with astonishing
favor. Within twenty years ply
mouth rocks outnumbered every 9TH
er breed. When the white variety
appeared, birds with the original
markings began to be called barred
plymouth rocks.
One by one other varieties have
come into existence-thc buff, silver.
penciled, partridge and columbian
but only the white variety rivals the
barred rocks. In some parts of the
country where white plymouth rocks
make special appeal to marke. prul-
try men they are found on most
farms. Among the growers of "scft
roasting chickens" on the south shore
of Massachusetts, they have largely
supplanted the light brahn,a
Although wyandottes did not an
pear until several years later. they
are known almost as widely as the
plymouth rocks. Silver wyandottcs
were the first varie,!. There Is no
definite information as to their or.
. gin, although they seem to have cone
either from New Yo,''t or iron. Tenn
sylvania, The breeders &c wyan
dottes have gradually proIL, ed be-
wildcr:ng number cf varicties-gold-
ell, white, buff, black, partridge, sill
ver-penciled and columbian. White
wyandottes, however, have ou;strip-
ped all the others in popular favor
For time they seemed likely to over
take the barred plymouth rocks.
The whole situation was changed
when the rhode island reds became
generally known. Among farmers
and fanciers alike this breed made
tremendous headway throughout the
country. 1t is an interesting fact
that these birds were bred for many
years in one little corner of the coun-
try, the southern part of Rhode Is
land, before they made any impress
sion upon poultry keepers in general
The farmers Of the Rhode Island
poultry belt early sought type thai
would be more profitable than any
they had experience with, and gradu-
ally, and by the use of many estab-
lished breeds, they produced a red
hen of persistent egg-laying tenden-
cies, but large enough to sell to ad-
vantave when marketed.
1t was considered as strictly q
! farmers fowl, and of no interest to
fanciers. The color was variable,
l with hens Of all shapes in one flock,
and for that reason they did not make
a very attractive appearance.
1t was inevitable, however, that
some or the birds should get into the
e shows. Even then interest in them
= was conlned for several years to New
England. Hhere was steady i'm
: Irovemcnt in color, however, and
: breeders loudly sang the praises of
5 the red ben, with special emphasis on
). its laying qalities. Poultry keepers
). from other sections bought stock and
: eggs, and before long the supremacy
, of the iordly plymouth rock was seri-
ously threatened. That is the situa-
ton as t. is today.
II The "rocks," the "dottes" and the
| reds are the three American breeds
worth special consideration. Domini-
| ques are older than the barred ply
mouth rock, which they much resem-
BILE, but are inferior as general-pur-
pose birds. Black and mottled javas,
which resemble plymouth rocks in
shape, are little bred except by fan
GERS. Buckeyes are similar to rhode
island reds, but have pea combs. AS
the name in dicates, they came from
| Ohio, and erist in scattered focks in
various parts of the country.
In several ways there is a marked
| degree of uniformity in the mem
bers of the American class. All Anne
f, rican breeds have yellow skins and
| yellow legs, to meet the demands of
the American market. They lay
brown or tinted eggs, because they
were originated, for the most part, in
districts where the people had we'll
marked prejudice in favor Of the
wholesome-looking colored eggs.
They lay the year round, and yield
enough meat dressed to make them