CHAPTER XII 



THE " FANCY " 



THE " small " poultry keeper can often add 

 to his profits by paying attention to the 

 breeding of fancy poultry. By " fancy " 

 poultry keeping, in this connection, I mean exhibi- 

 tion or show stock, as distinguished from the ordi- 

 The Field nary standard-bred birds which are 

 for Fanciers ' m the hands of every progressive 

 poultryman, even though his aim be nothing more 

 than eggs or meat for market. The small poul- 

 try keeper is, naturally, in a position to make a 

 better showing with exhibition stock than the 

 large breeder; the fact that his operations are 

 necessarily restricted is a benefit rather than a hard- 

 ship, for, while he can keep only a few birds, this 

 enables him to have every bird on the place of the 

 highest quality, and he can become familiar with 

 the individual characteristics and peculiarities of 

 each one of them, all of which is exceedingly 

 desirable. 



There are comparatively few men in America 

 who are making the production of exhibition 

 or show stock their exclusive business. Most of 



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