28 



THK BANTAM FOWt. 



points in the same S'^ction of the mate, this may counter- 

 balance the fault, but you can depend upon it the fault will 

 show itself in the future. Never breed from a bird with a 

 serious fault in shape; get the best and discard bad defects. 

 No variety of our Bantams has gained more in both the 

 qualities of shape and color in the past few years than has 

 our Black Cochin Bantam. The size of both body and comb 

 has been reduced, the white in under-color of neck has been 

 driven out, and in many instances the under 

 color of neck is black almost, as Is the surface 

 color. The size of the males has been very 

 much reduced; and be it said to their credit 

 that a Black Cochin male stood second to 

 the best Buff ever shown at the Boston show 

 for the challenge cup of 1902. This Black 

 Cochin Bantam male was a wonder in his 

 entire make-up. The backs have been very 

 much Improved upon and shortened, cushion 

 and fluff increased so much as to place them 

 right in the front rank for feather. More 

 good Black Cochins have been shown the 

 past winter at one or two shows than 

 have ever been seen, all told, for several 

 winters. 



BI,ACK COCHIN BANTAMS. 

 BY MB.. D. A, NICHOLS. 



Of all the breeders of Cochin Bantams none have sur- 

 passed Mr. David A. Nichols. To him is due the honor of 

 establishing a strain of Black Cochin Bantams free from 

 all white in plumage. The following Is from his pen, espe- 

 cially for the readers of this book: 

 Mr. T. F. McGrew: 



I can not think myself a successful breeder of Bantams; 

 each year brings me some new disappointment. Hopes 

 cherished for months fall away in non-realization of some 

 improvement confidently looked for. But still, many of 

 ' these disappointments are softened with the knowledge that 

 other points are strengthened and we are better and stronger 

 for another season. 



My first selection of Black Cochin Bantams was made 

 from the best I could find. Color, form and size were not so 

 good then as now. These I bred from and improved each 



My chicks are hatched under hens on a farm near by 

 (not having room at home), light-weight barn yard fowls 

 being used as sitters, each hen having from fifteen to eigh- 

 teen eggs. Each hen is given from twelve to fifteen chicks 

 to care for. They and the mother hen are placed in a coop 

 oiit in the garden, or where no grass grows, as I have had 

 poor success in my efforts to rear them on a grass plot. The 

 birds, when young, will ramble In the grass when it is wet 



A PAIR OF WHITE COCHIN BANTAMS. 



from rain or dew, and a few days of this will cause them to 

 dwindle and die. 



The chicks are fed the first few days on cooked oat meal. 

 After one week they have the food known as H. O., and are 

 fed with this till large enough to eat wheat. When at this 

 age they are confined in covered wire runs and not allowed 

 to roam about and grow too fast. I find that when allowed 

 their freedom they are quite liable to grow into over-sized 

 birds. 



The breeding birds are kept in separate pens that have 

 a wire netting cover over them to prevent the birds from 

 getting out or into the wrong pen. It also prevents hawks 

 or cats from bothering them. It is quite a pleasure to see 

 a hawk dart down for a specimen to his liking and injure 

 himself on the wire covering. In pens of this kind you will 

 always feel content that the birds are quite safe. 



Upon the subject of mating I will be silent. Having 

 heard the saying, "Tell a chopper by his chips," it is far 

 better that I should not claim the art of knowing how to 

 mate or produce good ones, for by so doing 1 lay myself open 

 to the criticism of those who do know ho«^ 



,-^,k)?A. Nichols. 



The improved color has come from the continued breed- 

 ing together of the very richest colored specimens. And 

 shape has been improved by selection. Size has been re- 

 duced by late hatching and the continued use of small 

 '.emales. This same method will bring improvement to any 

 Dreed or variety of Bantams if continued In. Great credit 

 should be given to small size, good form, and true color in 

 this variety. 



WHITE COCHIN BANTAM "SNOWDROP," BRED AT ELMWOOD FARM. 



year by selecting the best of all and inbreeding, always dis- 

 carding a fault in form or color, till I had established a solid 

 black plumage on some fairly well formed birds. These were 

 mated to hold color and improve the Cochin form. The rec- 

 ords must tell whether I have been successful in my efforts 

 or not. 



WHITE COCHIN BANTAMS 



White Cochin Bantams ol very good form and color are 

 bred by a number of Bantam experts. They are quite wqU 

 feathered, and as a class average better in general Cochin 

 characteristics than the other varieties; the chief difficulty 

 is the tendency of the males to turn yellow in color. This 

 fault can be bred out of them by using as breeders birds hav- 

 ing a perfectly white shaft In their feathers. This may 

 have a tendency to whiten the color of leg and beak, but 

 better this fault than yellow plumage. 



It is said by experts that the purest white specimens. 



