CHAPTER III 

 EGG BREEDS 



Definition. — The term Egg Breeds is used to designate those 

 varieties whose greatest usefulness lies in the production of eggs. 

 Most of these fowls comprise the Mediterranean class. They are 

 mostly small or medium-size birds, of a nervous, active tempera- 

 ment, take flight readily when frightened, excellent foragers, gen- 

 erally poor sitters, and not very dependable mothers. For best 

 results their eggs must be hatched in incubators, and the chicks 

 raised artificially. They mature quickly, and feather at an early 

 age, the chicks often developing wing feathers when but a few 

 days old. The meat of the egg breeds does not rank very high 

 for table purposes, except when the fowls are young. They make 

 fair broilers up to twelve weeks of age. Surplus cockerels are 

 used to this end, though it would hardly pay the poultryman who 

 specializes in broilers to think of adopting these breeds. He would 

 do better to select one of the meat or general purpose breeds. 



Broad Generalities. — In discussing a subject of this kind it 

 must be borne in mind that these descriptions are based upon 

 broad generalities — the popularly accepted rules. There are ex- 

 ceptions, of course, since many natural instincts have been out- 

 bred in certain strains of fowls by long periods of intense domes- 

 tication. Chickens are made docile by training, just as wild 

 animals are made to live peaceably in a domestic state. I have 

 seen Leghorns that were a lot more approachable than Plymouth 

 Rocks, though the rule is not the case. I mention this here that 

 the reader will not be misguided into the belief that all egg breeds 

 of fowls are wild, or even semi-wild, uncontrollable birds, because 

 they are not. 



Vigor of Mediterranean Varieties. — Until the past decade, 

 most of the Mediterranean varieties were thought to be more or 



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