Chapter VIII · POULTRY

Materials.

Either pictures or specimens of the different breeds of fowl.

General Information.

Under the term poultry are included chickens as well as turkeys, pigeons, ducks, geese, etc. Chickens are most generally raised, since they do not require such special conditions as the others. In this exercise only this form of poultry is considered.

The hen has been domesticated from prehistoric times, being probably derived from the so-called jungle fowl of India (Gallus bankiva), which is still to be found in its native habitat. Through constant attempts to improve the domestic fowl along the lines of greater egg-production, size, etc., there have been developed a great many different breeds of fowl. These may be divided into seven groups, as follows:

The American Class.

The Asiatic Class.

The Mediterranean Class.

The English Class.

The Dutch Class.

The French Class.

The Ornamental and Exhibition Classes.

The American Class includes fowls raised both for egg-production and for eating. It includes the following well-known breeds: the Plymouth Rocks, the Wyandottes, the Rhode Island Reds, and the less-known breeds of Javas, Dominiques, and Jersey Blues. These all lay good-sized brown eggs, are good winter layers, and stand confinement well. The standard weight varies from six and one half pounds to seven and one half pounds for the hen, and from eight and one half pounds to nine and one half pounds for the cock, the Plymouth Rocks being the heaviest of the breeds.

There are three principal varieties of Plymouth Rocks—the Barred Rocks, with grayish-white plumage regularly crossed with bars of blue-black, the White Rocks, and the Buff Rocks. All have single upright combs, which, with the wattles and the ear lobes, are bright red, a large bright eye, and yellow legs.

There are also three principal varieties of Wyandottes. The Silver-laced Wyandotte has a silvery-white plumage, with black markings in various parts of the body. The Golden Wyandotte is similar in its markings, but has yellow where the Silver-laced has white. The White Wyandotte is pure white. All have rose combs, red ear lobes, and yellow legs. They are on the average about a pound lighter than the Plymouth Rocks.

The Rhode Island Reds are a much more recent breed that has of late become very popular. They are of a reddish-brown color, about the weight of the Wyandotte, with yellow legs. There are both single combed and rose combed varieties.

The Asiatic Class includes those breeds raised chiefly for the table. The Brahmas, Cochins, and Langshans are the chief breeds. They are considerably heavier than other breeds, and are specially characterized by the feathers on the legs and feet. They all lay brown eggs, and are in many cases good layers.

The Brahmas include two principal varieties, the light and the dark. The general color is black and white, and they have yellow legs, red wattles, ear lobes, and comb, the latter being of the kind called a pea-comb, which is of small size in the cock.

There are four varieties of Cochins, the Buff being much more raised than the Partridge, the White, or the Black. The Partridge somewhat resembles a dark Brahma, but has red and brown plumage. Cochins have single combs, yellow legs, and a general fluffy character to the plumage, that of saddle and hackle meeting, thus giving a characteristic appearance to these fowls. The eggs are not quite so large as the other two breeds of this class.

The Langshans are smaller and more active than the two breeds just described. They have black legs, the feet are not so heavily feathered, and in general these fowls are much less awkward in appearance. There are two varieties, the White and the Black.

The Mediterranean Class includes those breeds raised chiefly because of their great egg-production. They are active birds, often troublesome because of their ability to fly over high enclosures, so that when kept in the city it is usually necessary to clip one wing. They are not so good winter layers as a rule, but are non-setters. They all lay white eggs. The chief breeds included are the Leghorns, the Minorcas, and the Black Spanish.

The Leghorns—the most popular of these breeds—include two chief varieties, the Brown and the White. The comb is most commonly single, falling to one side in the hen, the wattles long and pendulous, the ear lobes white, and the legs yellow.

The Minorcas are glossy black in color, with a large drooping comb in the hen, and long, thin, pendulous wattle. They lay a very large egg.

The Black Spanish resemble the Minorcas, but are distinguished by the white face and cheeks and the white on the inner edge of the wattles.

The English Class includes the Orpingtons and the Dorkings. The Dorkings are one of the oldest breeds of fowl, and sufficiently identified by the presence of a fifth toe. There are three varieties—the White, the Silver-gray, and the Colored. The White Dorking has a rose comb; the Silver-gray has a single comb and silvery-gray plumage with black markings, the hen having a salmon-colored breast; the Colored Dorkings have sometimes single and sometimes rose combs, the plumage of the cock being black and straw-colored and that of the hen being black and gray with the breast salmon marked with black.

The Orpingtons are short legged, with close plumage. They are of large size, the hens being from seven to eight pounds and the cocks from nine to ten pounds. There are three varieties—the black, the buff, and the white. The black, except for shape, might be mistaken for a Minorca, but has red ear lobes and black shanks. The Orpingtons have the reputation of maturing early, some strains being known to lay when four months old.

The Dutch Class includes the Red-caps, the Campines, and the various varieties of the Hamburgs—of which there are six: the Golden Spangled, the Silver Spangled, the Golden Penciled, the Silver Penciled, the Black and the White. They are all good layers and non-setters, "but lay a small egg, white in color. They are readily recognized by their peculiar rose comb with its long, spikelike projection in the back, their red face, white ear lobes, and bluish legs. The prevailing color of the golden varieties is a reddish bay marked with black and of the silver varieties white marked with black. The cock usually has more dark markings than the hen.

The Red-caps are large fowl with a red and black plumage. The comb is similar to the Hamburg's but larger, and the ear lobes are red.

The Campines resemble the Hamburgs, but have a single comb.

The French Class includes the Houdans, the Crevecœurs, and the La Fleche. The Houdans are mottled black and white with pinkish white legs, with a fifth toe like the Dorkings, and are easily recognized by their peculiar crest.

The other breeds of fowl, like the crested Polish, Bantams, and game fowl, have less interest for the poultry raiser, though often seen in exhibitions and poultry shows.

To sum up, we may group all these breeds according to their value into (1) the egg breeds, including the Leghorn, Minorca, Spanish, and Red-cap; (2) the meat breeds, including the Brahmas, Cochins, and Langshans; (3) the general purpose breeds, including the Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds, Dorkings, and Orpingtons; and (4) the fancy breeds, including the Polish, Bantams, Games, etc.

Definitions.

American Standard of Perfection, an illustrated volume published by the American Poultry Association, indicating the desirable points of each recognized breed of fowl.

Comb,

the fleshy outgrowth on the head.

Single comb,

a thin, upright comb.

Rose comb,

a flat comb with a rough or corrugated surface.

Pea comb,

resembling three single combs, united at the back.

Wattles,

the fleshy outgrowths from the underside of the throat.

Ear lobes,

the fleshy structure in the region of the ear.

Under-color,

the color noted when the coverts are raised.

Hackle,

the feathers on the neck.

Cape,

the feathers back of the hackle.

Saddle,

the feathers in the posterior region of the back.

Sickle,

the curved feathers of the tail in the cock.

Penciling,

small stripes or color markings on the feather.

Spangling,

large spots or splotches of color on the feather.

Shanks,

the exposed scaly portions of the legs, usually spoken of as the "legs."

Questions and observations.

Make a diagrammatic sketch of a fowl and locate the principal regions used in the description of the various breeds.

Observing the specimens or the pictures of the fowls at hand, note the size and kind of comb, the appearance of the wattles, the color of the eyes and ear lobes, the color in the various regions of the body, the color and any peculiarity of the legs and feet. If you wish, you may record your answers in tabular form.

Topics for investigation.

Look up and report upon the average number of eggs laid annually, and the number of eggs to the pound, in the case of the Plymouth Rock, Wyandotte, Rhode Island Red, Dorking, Brahma, Leghorn, and Minorca.

Explain the terms "non-setter" and "winter layer."

When do hens moult? How does this affect the laying? What schemes have poultry men to bring this moulting at the most favorable season?

What is a "balanced ration" as applied to fowls? What are some methods of feeding which tend to secure greater egg-production?

Explain some of the special features of such methods of housing and keeping chickens as the Philo System, Corning System, etc.

What precautions must be taken in raising chickens so as to prevent disease and attacks of enemies?

What does it cost per year to keep a dozen hens? How many can a person keep profitably on a city lot, if he is not to make a special business of chicken raising?

How do chickens solve the problem of the garbage can?

What are some of the objections made to keeping chickens in the city? Are these objections well founded, and if so how may they be met?

Find out what breeds of chickens are kept in your neighborhood, and note some of the reasons that are given for keeping these particular breeds.