BIOLOGY OF POULTRY KEEPING. IO5 



It is in regard to just this point of ability to see a bird that 

 Has the chief difference between the expert pouhryman and the 

 rank amateur. By "seeing a chicken" is meant, in brief, the 

 recognition of the individuality of that bird. Every human 

 being is able to recognize the individuality in the appearance of 

 other human beings. At a glance we recognize in looking at a 

 number of people the points of difference which distinguish one 

 individual from another. The distinguishing trait may be only 

 some very unimportant feature. Almost certainly it is some- 

 thing which is nearly, if not quite, impossible of accurate 

 description. The case simpl}^ is that our eyes are trained to 

 recognize individuality in appearance amongst men. It is just 

 precisely this ability to recognize instantly, easily and fully indi- 

 vidual differences amongst fowls which characterizes the expert 

 poultryman. 



To him a flock of chickens is not simply an aggregation of 

 living things all very much like one another. It is, on the con- 

 trar}', a group of individuals, each one of which possesses some 

 distinguishing trait w^hich can be found, if one cares to look for 

 it, and which will mark this bird out from its fellows for all 

 time to the "seeing" eye. The minute differences upon which 

 such distinction of individuals depends may be in form, or 

 color, or size, or pattern. Quite as often there will be differ- 

 ences in behavior, expression, or disposition. Such matters as 

 carriage, the method of holding the head and the body, the 

 expression of the eyes, and so on are characteristic of indi- 

 vidual fowls as of individual men. ;\Iany of the differences 

 which the expert poultryman will readily recognize are quite as 

 difficult of precise description as are the differences which 

 prevent you from confusing your next-door neighbors when 

 you meet them. 



Not only does this ability to "see"' a bird mean the ability to 

 recognize it as an individual of the flock, but also it means the 

 ability to form a judgment as to its bodily condition and state 

 of health. \\'e are able to recognize at a glance whether a per- 

 son appears to be in good health, or whether, on the contrar\^, 

 he is off condition. Relatively small diff'erences of this kind 

 in human beings are easily recognized. It is not necessary that 

 an individual should be moribund before we are able to sav thaf 

 he is not looking well. In the case of poultry, however, it 



