UTILITY CLASSIFICATION 89 



this feature lowers the total yield of eggs. The Rhode Island Reds 

 are often objected to for this reason. 



Good Foragers. These birds do not roam as far as those of the 

 lighter breeds, yet they are very good foragers, and will seek out a 

 living if given an opportunity to do so. The young of this group, 

 during their development, will cover an extensive range in search 

 of green feed and insects, and will make a very satisfactory growth 

 with very little supplemental feed. It is the best practice, from the 

 standpoint of a quick and economic growth, to check this habit by 

 supplying considerable feed in the vicinity of their quarters. 



Hardiness. The general-purpose breeds are protected from 

 cold nearly as well as the meat breeds, having loose, fluffy plumage, 

 medium-sized combs and wattles, and compact bodies. They are 

 thus able to withstand severe weather. They are much better 

 protected than the egg breeds, and will often lay better during 

 the winter months, when the quarters are not the most favorable. 



The most prominent representatives of this group are the 

 Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Rhode Island Reds, Orpingtons, 

 Javas, Dominiques, Dorkings, and sometimes Cornish Indian 

 Games. The four mentioned first are by far the most popular in 

 America at the present time, their popularity being approximately 

 in the order named. The Orpingtons are gaining rapidly, and it 

 is probable that they may surpass the Rhode Island Reds. The 

 Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, and Rhode Island Reds have 

 bright-yellow skin, shanks, and beak, which is a desired asset in 

 market poultry. The Orpingtons have white shanks and beak. 

 This color tends to work against them as market poultry. 



It cannot be said that any one of these four breeds is better 

 than the others in all respects. They all have desirable points and, 

 in fact, are very similar in many respects. There is often a greater 

 difference between the strains of the same breed than there is 

 between the breeds themselves. In selecting a breed the best plan 

 is to pick out the one which appeals to the poultryman's ideal, 

 and then, by breeding and selection, develop this strain to be the 

 best one of the breed. 



Plymouth Rocks are undoubtedly the leaders of these four 

 breeds, the barred variety being the most popular (Fig. 56 and 

 57). These fowls resemble the meat breeds in size and the Leg- 

 horns in egg production. The flesh is of fine quality; they are 

 blocky fowls, having a rather long body, plump and well propor- 

 tioned. The laying qualities of the Plymouth Rocks have been 



