SUCCESSFUL POULTRY KEEPING 



fanners who send the large white eggs to the fancy egg market 

 of New York CSty. Some of them keep as many as eight thou- 

 sand layers and are getting all the way from five to twenty 

 cents per dozen more for their eggs than the market price. 



There has been a tendency of late by the American breeders 

 to divide the different strains of Single-Comb White Leghorns 

 into two classes; the Utility Class and the Show Class. This I 

 think is a mistake, because I have found that my best show 

 specimens are the most vigorous and include the greatest layers. 

 This is as it should be. Thinking that perhaps I was mistaken, 

 I have bought eggs to experiment with from several of our well- 

 known utility breeders, and reared the chicks on the same farm 

 under the same conditions that I didmy very best show speci- 



WHITE LEGHORN PULLET 



First prize-winning pullet at Madison Square Garden Show, 1907. 

 Bred and owned by D. W. Young, Ridgewood, N. J. 



mens, and I then made practical tests with trap-nests. In no 

 case have I found the utility birds to be the greatest layers, or 

 to possess as great stamina and vigor as my line-bred birds, 



I have been using trap-nests and have practiced line breed- 

 ing since 1885. In May 1884, I visited the Channel Islands 

 and during my investigations on the Island of Jersey, asked one 

 of the breeders of Jersey cattle from what source they got their 

 new blood. He answered me by saying, "We do not get new 

 blood, but practice line-breeding." After he had thoroughly 

 explained what line-breeding was and what it had done for the 

 Jersey cattle, the thought came to me, "why can I not do the 

 same with piy Leghorns?" I started line-breeding the next 

 year and have practiced it ever since and I beUeve it to he the 

 only way to establish a strain and to hold it to the Standard. 



It makes no difference how fine a bird is, or how many 



first prizes he may win in the show room, unless he has good 

 ancestry back of him for at least five generations, he is not 

 worth for breeding purposes the price that he would bring at the 

 butchers. One of the greatest mistakes our breeders and 

 fanciers make is in going out for new blood through the male. 

 New blood should always be introduced in the flock through the 

 female. When one parts with the male line of his strain and 

 substitutes a male of another strain, he has broken his male line 

 of descent, and no longer has a strain of his own. 



The Leghorn fancier has been favored by the American 

 Poultry Association in regard to the size and weight problem. 

 It seems to me that old mother Nature has figured out a certain 

 size for the egg type and if we go beyond this, we not only will 

 lose the productiveness of the breed, but also will lose its alert- 

 ness and that sprightly carriage and grace of movement so dear 

 to all true lovers of the breed. Let us retain the true Leghorn 

 model because the large birds will not lay as many eggs and are 

 not by any means as good foragers. In England, they have 

 crossed White Leghorns with the White Minorca in order to 

 get size, chalk white plumage and a low tail; the outcome is that 

 they have got the low tail and large size, but have entirely lost 

 the Leghorn type and characteristics. I think that the American 

 White Leghorn fanciers are on the right road. While they have 

 made their favorites the greatest layers on earth, they have 

 not marred their beauty nor, destroyed the Leghorn character- 

 istics that are so much admired in the show room today. 



In answer to the question "Why I Keep Single-Comb White 

 Leghorns," Mr. H. J. Blanchard, proprietor of Fairview Farm, 

 Groton, Tompkins Co., N. Y., and one of the largest and most 

 successful breeders of this variety, states: 



"To begin with, most people keep fowls for profit and here 

 is the Single-Comb White Leghorn's strongest point. The 

 greatest profit to be derived from utihty poultry keeping is in 

 producing fancy market eggs and in most cities, large white 

 eggs bring the highest price. In New York City, where I sell 

 all my market eggs in the season of greatest scarcity, and con- 

 sequent highest prices, there is often a difference of eight to 

 twelve cents a dozen between fancy brown and fancy white 

 eggs in favor of the white, and at other times more or less differ- 

 ence. A good strain of this variety lays an egg of good size 

 and it is universally conceded that no fowl produces a greater 

 number. 



"As squab broilers of } to 1 pound each, Single-Comb White 

 Leghorns are very profitable. When old fowls are to be closed 

 out for market purposes they should be confined for several 

 weeks and carefully fattened, 



"As a fancy fowl the Single-Comb White Leghorn is equally 

 profitable. They are a very old and widely distributed breed 

 and consequently individuals do not sell at as high figures as 

 some of the newer breeds, but the greater demand for them 

 more than makes up on the difference in price. Single males 

 have, I believe, sold as high as $200. and females $100. Pens of 

 four females and one male for $250. Good exhibition males 

 that have never been shown sell for $25 to $50 each and females 

 $15. to $25. each. As utility breeders the females bring $2. to 

 $5. each and males $2. to $10. each. 



"In all the years I have bred Single-Comb White Leghorns 

 the demand for breeding and exhibition stock and eggs for 

 hatching has been heavy and the popularity of the breed was 

 never so great as at present. 



"The great market egg farms of New York, New Jersey and 

 Cahfomia almost without exception are stocked with Single- 

 Comb White Leghorns, as it has greater numbers at a lower 

 cost than any other breed, hence is most profitable. The 

 Single-Comb, White Leghorn is vigorous, hardy and thrives in 

 nearly all countries, climates and under all reasonable condi- 

 tions. The eggs are generally well fertiUzed, hatch well and the 

 chicks are as hardy and as easily raised as any. 



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