The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1921-06-08

The Standard Breeds Of Poultry
The principal egg breeds are the
Leghorns, ADconas, Minorcas, Cam
pines, Hamburgs and Andalusians.
They are all small in size except the
Minarca. The standard weight for
the Ancona and Leghorn pullets is
81 pounds, whereas the s. c. Black
Minorca pullet should weigh ~
pop1ds and the pullets OF ali other
Minorca varieties 51z pounds" All
of the egg breeds have clean shanks,
white ear iopes, lay white shelled
eggs and are OF nervous active dis
position. The breeds of this class,
especially the Leghorn, have been
bred for many years for egg produc-
ton. The fact that there are so
many laying strains of Leghorns has
given them the name of egg ma
chine" When egg laying contests
were first held they were nearly al
ways won by Leghorns. In the last
few years, however many breeds
have worked toward high produo-
ton in the general-purpose breeds
with the consequent result that
these breeds are winning as many
Of the egg-laying contests as the
Leghorns.
For the year just ended (Oct. 81,
1920 the Barred Plymouth Rocks
won in the Connecticut and Cana
dian contests, and the S. c. Rhode
Island Reds in the New Jersey and
Missouri contests. A pen Of White
Wyandottes finished second at
Missouri. A pen of White Plymouth
Rocks finished sixth in the Connecti-
cut contest, averaging over 200 eggs
per bird.
The Rhode Island Reds, Plymouth
Rocks, WyandoJtes and OIpingtons
felong 70 the general purpose class,
since they are keIt for both egg
production and meat. The above
records prove conclusively that high
egs production is possible in all Of
tho breeds of this class. The farm
or and preacher" can testify 10 the
fact that all Of these breeds make
excellent frying chickens and roast
ers, for they are undoubtedly me
best of all table fowls. The breeds
OF this class vary from ) pounds for
the Rhode Island Red pullet as ;
standard weight to pounds for the
Crplngton pullet.
Tae ornamental breeds are of no
commercial importance and are kept
only by the fanciers and others for
a hobby. Some of the more COM
mon breeds of this class are the
Crested Polish, Faverolles, Games,
Bantams and Silkies.
In the STANDARD" classification
the breeds are grouped according TO
their origin and usually nave sever
al general characteristics in COM
mon, such as skin color, feathers,
sbanks, color Of ear lobes, or size.
In the last American STANDARD Of
Perfection" there are twelve classes
The breeds in the Asiatic class are
all meat breeds, are sluggish and
clumy and are seldom kept on the
general farm. The Light Brahma
is the only variety in this class that
retains popularity. The Langshans
and CochiDs are fast dying out and
are kept only by few fanciers.
These breeds, as the name indicates,
originated on the Asiatic Continent.
The old Shanghais played a con-
siderable part in the origin of the
Asiatic breeds, the Cochin particul-
arly. The original stock was i'm
ported into England from the port OF
Shanghai, China, in 1S47. in the
Development of the breeds Of this
class loose Tlumage, large size and
heavily feathered shanks were the
halu uplnlF s'ifiA'G 4Ol' Ab OhN
author puts ii. "All experience goes
to show that activity and close
featheTing are indispensable TO any
marked laying power, and the grad
ual change 10 lOOser feathers, with
wider and shorter body, has had
porbably the greatest share in thf
deterioration; the bird has actually
been bred 10 a model which cannot
lay so well.' This accounts for the
poor egg production OF the Coohins
and Langshans.
The Mediterranean breeds origi'
mated around the shores of the Med
terranean Sea. The breeds OF this
class are quite active and nervous
They lay white shelled eggs and are
sitters. All but the Minorca and
Spanish are small in size. The Leg