Cross-bred Poultry. 



CHAPTER XI. 



CROSS-BRED POULTRY. 



Farm-yard mongrels— First Cross only to be Used — Value of Cross-breeding — 

 Pure bred Fowls to be the Foundation— Sale of Eggs and Chickens — Methods 

 of Cross-breeding — Some Crosses - Improving present Stocks. 



Considerable attention Las been of late devoted to the 

 subject of cross-bred fowls, and the real value of crossing, 

 as well as the lines upon which it should go, have at last been 

 agreed upon. The ordinary cross-bred poultry, such as we 

 see on too many farms, are simply mongrels, crossed and 

 re-crossed ; but we do not mean these at all. When we say 

 cross-bred, we must be understood to refer to a cross between 

 two pure breeds, by which definite characteristics are to be 

 obtained. Therefore, in using the term cross-bred, it must 

 be remembered that we mean a first cross only, for if cross- 

 bred birds be bred from, the stock rapidly degenerates, and 

 loses those qualities for which the crossing had been made. 

 It has been advocated by some writers, that, because the first 

 cross is profitable, following ones must be the same ; and, in 

 one place, we read that poultry should be crossed " as much 

 as possible, as you cannot have too many breeds mixed." 

 This is simply nonsense, and it has been proved over and 

 over again, that repeated crossing is positively injurious, and 

 that where this system is practised, the birds get smaller in 

 size, weaker in body, and less prolific. Crossing can only be 

 beneficial when it is conducted with skill and foresight, both 



