CHAPTER XXII 

 TYPES AND BREEDS OF CHICKENS 



Tjrpes of Chickens. — Poultrjonen recognize two distinct 

 t)T)es among hens, — the egg type and the meat type. In the 

 nervous, rangy hen is found the egg type ; in her plumper, 

 less active sister, the meat type. Heavy layers have the 

 bodies nicely placed on longer, trimmer legs than the meat 

 type, their combs are larger, their bodies longer, and their 

 pelvic arches broader. In fact, the two types are as truly 

 distinct as the race horse and the draft horse, or the dairy 

 cow and the beef animal. 



Breeds of Chickens. — The most important breeds of 

 chickens fall into three groups, based on their utility value 

 as follows : Egg Breeds, Meat Breeds, General Purpose 

 Breeds. 



The Egg Breeds. — As suggested by the name, the egg 

 breeds are valued primarily for egg production, though of 

 late' years the members of this group have won first place 

 as producers of squab broilers. They are very precocious, 

 frequently coming into laying at four and one half months, 

 though the reasonable expectation of the keepers of this 

 group is that the majority of the pullets will mature at five 

 and one half months. These breeds constitute the Mediter- 

 ranean group. The most popular members of this group 

 are the Leghorns and the Anconas. 



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