20 FIKST LE IS SONS IN POULTRY KEEPING. 



1. Constitutional Vigor and Physical Perfection. Ouly healthy, vigorous specimens 

 should be used for breeding purposes. No deformed or seriously malformed specimen should 

 be used for breeding. There are some minor malformations not in any way affecting the health, 

 vigor or practical usefulness of the fowl which should be treated as defects to be offset in the 

 mate; but such things as crooked backs, crooked breasts, crooked legs, twisted wings, wry tails 

 (that is, tails carried to one side) and squirrel tails (that is, tails carried too high and inclining 

 toward the head) should be rigidly excluded from the breeding pen.* 



There are some less serious malformations, perhaps more accurately described as lack of 

 development, but as they are somewhat common in all varieties we will mention them here: 

 Narrow and shallow bodies, pinched tails, and conspicuous lack of breast development, make 

 a fowl unsymmetrjcal, detract something from its economic value as well as from its appear- 

 ance, and often indicate lack of development of some of the internal organs. The breeder who 

 carefully avoids using specimens having such faults rarely has cause to regret tlie loss of the 

 use of birds attractive in other particulars which this severe selection rules out. 



Breeding from Fowls thai Have Been Sick. This is a question which properly 

 comes under the head of constitutional vigor. A fowl that has been very sick, though appar- 

 ently completely recovered before the breeding season, should not be used to breed from, or if 

 such a fowl is of such excellence that it is desirable to get stock from it if possible, it may be 

 used, but the breeder should not rely on it for the stock he needs. The chicks from such 

 parents are apt to lack constitutional stamina, and frequently are weak in the parts affected by 

 the disease the parent had. 



2. Breed Shape. This is where the breeder's appreciation of the differences in shapes 

 of fowls should begin. A fowl may be a well proportioned fowl, and not essentially lacking 

 in physical development in any section, and yet not be at all of the shape considered typical 

 for its breed. The breeder of thoroughbred stock should learn what is the ideal shape in his 

 breed, and follow it as closely as possible in selecting for his nuttings. 



3. Color of Plumage. While it is almost universally conceded as theoretically right to 

 place shape before color, in practice more fanciers give color the precedence, because color 

 counts for more in the show room. This actual precedence given color, however, is detri- 

 mental to the practical qualities of some of the varieties, and, in general, destructive of dis- 

 tinctions in breed shape. Fanciers who compete with others in exhibitions where color is 

 more important in awards, and prizes depend on extreme, development of certain color 

 characteristics, may tind their success a justification of the use of breeding fowls of fine color 

 but not at all of breed shape; but those who breed for practical qualities first, or for ordinary 

 excellence in fancy points, will always find result*, on the whole, more satisfactory if they give 

 due precedence to breed shape in selecting their breeding stock. 



4. Comb and Head Appurtenances. The matter of selection with reference to these 

 is, of course, selection for quality, as a bird not having these features of the kind characteristic 

 of its breed or variety, would never be considered at all. These features are practically of 

 little, if any, importance, but, in breeding exhibition stock, some of them are of very great 

 importance. They will be specially considered in connection with statements about mating in 

 the next lesson. 



5. Color of Beak and Ijegs. This is a point to which novices in general give undue 

 importance, often selecting or rejecting on this more than all other points. Except as it may 

 indicate healthy condition, color in these points has no absolute value ; but considered as giving 

 a finishing touch to a fowl, or as conforming with a market demand, it assumes some 

 importance. 



*Some breeders would consider this rule too strict, especially with regard to defects which are either not dis- 

 qualifications according to the Standard, or the rules regarding them not ri jdd | y enforced. "While I admit 

 exceptional cases where for the sake of other special merit a fowl with one of these faults might be bred from, 

 I think it very evident that the general tendency is to be too lenient witli such faults when selecting breeding 

 stock, and that to this carelessness much of the weakness and lack of general attractiveness in some pure bred 

 stock is due. The cases where the use of malformed specimens is justified by results are so few, and the cases 

 where general results condemn their use so numerous, that it seems to me the net result would be much better 

 if no exceptions to the rule were allowed. 



