I ANCONA MATING j 



TTHE general rules of properly mating any and all fowls apply to all breeds 

 alike, and as this book does not make any pretense of being a text book 

 on the science of poultry keeping, I will simply touch on a few points par- 

 ticularly applicable to Anconas. 



I believe that many breeders put too much faith in the efficacy of some 

 strong section of a fowl being able to supply the deficiency of that same 

 section in the mate. This is true to some extent, but the weak section is 

 corrected rather than built up. It is best to eliminate from the breeding 

 pen those birds that are considerably lacking in any way, and not depend 

 on breeding out the weak points, but avoid them. 



As dark plumage on fowls always hay a tendency to become lighter 

 after the moult, it is best to select for the breeding pens those hens that 

 retain their color. I strongly advise always using hens instead of pullets 

 in breeding, as it will build up the size of the birds, and the size of the eggs. 



It is not wise to buy stock and eggs from varioqs and several breeders, 

 as it quite likely will result in a hetrogenous lot of stock that will take 

 some time to breed to uniformity. There are certain characteristics more 

 pronounced than others in each breeder's flock, and unless you know just 

 what you are doing you are very apt to make some undesirable combina- 

 tions by such indiscriminate breeding. If you want to buy stock or eggs 

 select some reliable and well known breeder and get what you want from 

 one source. 



Do not use hens with excessively large combs. Moderate size are 

 best, and an occasional hen with an erect comb will produce excellent 

 cockerels. 



To correct white in the face use a male bird witn some red in his ear 

 lobes. 



Purple will sometimes crop out in breeding any black-feathered fowl. 

 It may be corrected by breeding females that lack the bright sheen in 

 their plumage, but are rather a flat black or dull color. 



The attempt to produce a very dark Ancona has resulted in the black 

 color pigment showing in the legs. This is ever so, and to avoid dark legs 

 you must avoid the very dark birds. Dark legs go with a dark bird. 



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