MATING AND HOUSING BLACK LANGSHANS. 



Selecting the Breeders— Two Males for Each Pen— Fifty Birds Yield Five Hundred Dollars Income 



in Twelve Months. 



By L. E. Meter. 



(From ihe Reliable Poultry Journal.) 



ATING for good results is one of the knotty ques- 

 tions for all breeders of fancy fowls. Langshans 

 have some bad defects to overcome that often 

 puzzle the breeder, such as red and yellow eyes; 

 gray or white tips in wings; white in toe feathering; crooked 

 breast bones; lopped combs in females; side sprigs and pur- 

 ple barring. These defects may all be transmitted. The 

 breeder who is always preaching that like begets like has 

 a hard time making all his customers and friends believe 

 it. Even the old line breeders who often produce high class 

 specimens have a hard time to get offspring that are the 

 equal of their parents. I have tried all sorts of matings. 

 My first idea was to mate in pairs, which is a very good 

 way of mating. I got about ten per cent first class birds 

 from such matings. If I had females weak in some sections 

 I would select a male strong in section where females were 

 weak. This is a good way to mate, but the best plan I 



"Choice Goods"— A Magnificent Langshan Male— A Winner, 

 Bred and Owned by I,. E. Meyer. 



have ever adopted is to select the females and put from ten to 

 twelve in each pen. Be sure to get them with good straight 

 combs, having from four to six spikes; long, deep bodies 

 with broad backs; good length to legs and toes with plenty 



of toe and shank feathering. If the pen I have described 

 is composed of pullets I would select two cock birds to mate 

 to them, allowing only one at a time to run with them, say 

 three or four days at a time. Keep one cooped all the time. 



Fourth Prize Black Langshan Hen at Chicago, 

 Bred and Owned by L. E. Meyer. 



This keeps the males vigorous. I find if you allow the same 

 male to run with the pen all the time they are inclined to 

 take three or four females away from the rest and give 

 them nearly all of their attention. My method of mating 

 makes eggs more fertile and I think gets stronger chicks, 

 and I can get fully as many show specimens. 



In selecting a male to breed from I select one that is 

 strong in color, with as perfect a head and comb as I can 

 get; short, broad back; large, spready tail, with an abun- 

 dance of sickles— the more the better. 



When my cockerels are maturing I select those that I 

 expect to breed from, and they are not for sale at any price. 

 In this way I have improved my birds every year. 'Choice 

 Goods," whose photo appears here, would be my ideal if he 

 had a better comb. This season I am using six cockerels 

 that will all be his equal when fully matured. If you want 

 to get rid of defects quit breeding them. That is the quick- 

 est and surest way. 



Never crowd your fowls. Keep their roosting place 

 warm and clean; have your yards as large as possible; feed 

 good wholesome food and be liberal with it. From fifty 

 hens kept in this way I sold in 1902 nearly $500 worth ot 

 stock and eggs. That's very good pay for a farmer. 



L. E. MEYER. 



