CHAPTER IX 

 The Market End 



The table is the end of all good fowls, and whether 

 they be high-priced thoroughbreds or common mon- 

 grels their utility points for egg and meat production 

 must ever be kept prominently to the fore. Fine 

 feathers make fine birds only when they are useful for 

 utility purposes. The great value of thoroughbred or 

 "fancy" poultry, as it is commonly called, lies in the 

 fact that they are of larger and more uniform size, 

 better layers and will return a larger profit in eggs or 

 growth for the food consumed than will mongrels. 

 Majiy look with scorn upon thoroughbreds, saying and 

 believing that they are less hardy than mongrels. There 

 is some truth in this, for thoroughbreds have been 

 more or less closely bred in order to fix the breed or 

 variety characteristics. This close breeding, often 

 done by those who do not clearly understand the laws 

 of breeding, has resulted in imparting less vigor to 

 their stock. It is the law of nature that all animals 

 whose living comes easy soon lose the ability to 

 "rustle" for their living. The Jersey cow is not so 

 hardy as the range cow, but this is nothing against her. 

 The man who would keep Jerseys under western range 

 conditions would be a fool. So also the man who will 

 take a flock of high bred fowls, turn them out in his 

 barnyard to seek their living and let them roost in trees 

 or sheds, will be surely disappointed, as he ought to be. 



A flock of one variety will lay eggs of uniform 

 size and color, will dress off about the same in size. 

 Either alive or dressed they will command a better 

 price than a flock of nondescripts. The only way to 



