UTILITY CLASSIFICATION 85 
not assuming the adult features very young. They are slow in 
feathering and are always slow growers. It takes from six to 
eight months or longer to mature a pullet to laying condition. 
The males do not assume or attain the highest degree of perfection 
for meat until from seven to ten months of age. Owing to their 
slow development and slow feathering, they are rather hard to 
raise during the first four months. Rainy weather and even damp, 
unsettled weather seem to chill the young chicks, as they have 
very little, if any, protection in the form of feathers. Although 
growth takes place very late in the development of the birds, yet 
the meat remains soft, so that at twelve months of age the flesh 
may be as tender as it is at five or six months in the lighter breeds. 
Later it becomes very fibrous. 
Persistent Sitters—They are naturally very persistent sitters 
and good mothers; but, owing to their large size, feathered shanks, 
and clumsy movements, they are apt to break the eggs or crush 
the chicks in the nest. As there are several general-purpose breeds 
which make as good or better sitters, hens of the meat breeds are | 
less used for that purpose. The Bantam meat breeds make very 
good mothers, and are often used for that purpose. 
Poor Foragers—The heavy meat fowls are not, by nature, 
adapted to seeking their own feed, and will not roam a great 
distance from the roosting quarters in search of it. They are 
easily enclosed, a three-foot fence being sufficient in most cases. 
They are adapted to the small farm or city lot, where they are 
confined in small areas. They are not persistent scratchers, and 
can be given the freedom of a city lot without danger of seriously 
disfiguring it. 
Extreme Hardiness.—Fowls of the meat breeds are heavily 
feathered, have small combs and wattles, and protected shanks; 
this makes them well suited to withstand extremely low tempera- 
tures. This fact should not encourage breeders to take undue 
risk when providing winter quarters. No birds, regardless of their 
make-up, will thrive in a house poorly ventilated or having an 
excess of moisture. The Brahma is especially well protected 
from the cold, owing to the small wattles and pea comb. The 
Langshan (Fig. 53), on the other hand, has a rather large comb 
and suffers more in this respect under adverse conditions. 
Egg-Laying.—This group is not noted for its egg-laying pro- 
pensities, being the lowest of any group. General-purpose breeds 
surpass them in this respect. It is always true in animal breeding 
