RHODE ISLAND REDS 



26 



middlings is supplied continuously after the chicks are three 

 or four days of age, usually once a day, at noon. I prefer 

 hopper feeding of the dry grains to growing stock, as it gives 

 them all an equal chance. 



One of the most important points is to look after their 

 comfort at night. I provide plenty of room and good air. 

 One cannot raise exhibition specimens in close stuffy coops 

 or boxes. They sweat and fret all night and the loss of 

 vitality will soon show itself in ragged, off-colored, small, 

 rough-looking chicks. 



Type of Breeders 



Now for mating and breeding. Type first must be 

 selected. Study the many excellent cuts of Reds by artist 

 Schilling, who has with his pictures done more than any 

 other one man to fix correct type in the minds of breeders. 

 We can all talk about ideal type, but when we get through 

 talking, Schilling's pictures begin like oratory and music; 

 where oratory leaves off, music'begins. Select those of long, 

 horizontal bodies and deep tail, wide back, breast full and 

 carried well forward. Once this type is fixed in the mind, 

 we cannot miss the good ones; they can be recognized at a 

 glance. 



This long, deep type is producing an egg yield that is 

 wonderful and will breed wonderfully true. I think it is 

 much the easiest thing to breed in a Red. Stick to correct 

 type and do not depend wholly on females for it either. I 

 find the male should be about right in every particular for 

 the best results. 



How to Mate for Color 



Next comes color and here we have the worst stumbling 

 block. I favor single mating as the term is commonly ac- 

 cepted. A writer in one of our club papers said, or insinuated, 

 a short time ago, that the breeder who advocated single mat- 

 ing under the present Standard must be ignorant or bereft 

 of the usual amount of intellect as it could not be practiced 

 with success. Now I am glad to feel that this opinion is 

 not the universal one, in spite of the fact that this writer 

 tried to finish the subject everlastingly. He also said that 

 all matings other than those with birds up to Standard 

 requirements were double matings. This may be so, strictly 

 speaking, but it will be found as with all single mating vari- 

 eties, that certain individuals will favor in breeding one sex 

 or the other many times, directly contrary to theory. Such 

 birds are used to the best advantage always, and no double 

 mating system can be held up against such matings any 

 more than the same could be declared of a similar mating 

 in any of the white breeds. How often we hear of a certain 

 White Wyandotte male: "He is nothing of a show bird, 

 but he does breed the finest exhibition males of any breeder 

 I have ever owned." 



Double mating as practiced by Barred Rock breeders 

 does not apply at all to the Reds. The average standard 

 mating will produce as many males as females that show a 

 tendency to buff. I do not consider it necessary to use a 

 male with striped hackle or with smut in back to keep up 

 strong color with good black sections. The best females I 

 have ever bred were produced with clear males and standard 

 females. Such matings with those breeders having color 

 well advanced, will produce as many standard females as 

 any system of mating. 



Smut in the back or any other section of'a Red is a defect 

 to the eye of a true fancier and all the arguments and Stand- 

 ards in the world, in my opinion, cannot change it. Any 

 breeder who favors or advocates it, I am sure has not been 

 very successful with the color breeding in his own flock. 

 But, if one will persevere in breeding for correct color, suc- 

 cess will be attained. My own Reds are breeding males and 



females from the same matings that are red through and 

 through and not over five per cent are showing a tendency 

 oward buff. To be sure it is a difficult thing to breed fine 

 color all over with good black sections etc but it is also a 

 difficult thing to breed a perfect Wyandotte and they have 

 been bred for fancy points for many years. 

 Selecting the Breeders 



I select males of even, good rich red color, such that 

 when hackle, back and wing-bows are put together, hardly 

 a shade of contrast can be seen between these sections. I 

 never use a male with white in any section. 



The male generally has strong control over comb, eye 

 and" head points. Under-color is important and clear, rich 

 red or salmon in all sections is desired. The female should 

 be fully as dark as the breast and fluff of male and may be 

 darker red. True ticking in hackle (not lacing) with good 

 back, tail and strong wing will be ideal for breeding as to 

 color. The important thing in surface color, so much over- 

 looked, is that quality of evenness, so even that you cannot 

 see where one feather commences or leaves off— a smooth, 

 soft red, free from shafting. Such females mated to good 

 even-colored standard males will produce wonderful color 

 and they will certainly strengthen the confidence of any 

 breeder who has lost faith in the color question. Haphazard 

 mating will not make for progress. I urge special matings 

 of four or five birds, such as are balanced and of correct 

 blood lines. Intelligent Une-breeding, based on correct type 

 and vigor is surely putting the Reds in the front ranks. 



One of the weakest points in the Reds is the fading of 

 hens in consequence of heavy laying. It is hard to show 

 them and hard to sell them, although the breeding value is 

 not in the least depreciated. However, the color is improv- 

 ing and after a number of years of careful color breeding, ■ 

 selecting the even soft red kind, the hens will moult in almost 

 as red as their virgin color. I never use mahogany or choco- 

 late males or females; in fact, have hardly one per cent 

 of these colors cropping out in my flock today, where five 

 years ago they .would show up plentifully. 



Exhibiting 



Now for showing. Proper conditioning is very import- 

 ant. I select show specimens as soon as they are old enough 

 to show fine quality and place them together in a pen to 

 themselves. One should never select such birds just before 

 showing and perhaps put strangers together. There are too 

 many chances of fighting resulting in disfigured combs, 

 broken feathers, etc., and after cooping in the showroom, 

 it puts an exhibition pen out»of the showing to have one or 

 two females pecking and driving others around the coop. 

 They should all be tame and have an air of happiness and 

 contentment. 



I feed lightly the day before showing so they will eat 

 freely the morning that the judge sees them and their crops 

 will be filled out normally, adding materially to symmetry. 

 Clean them up generally before showing. Get them in such 

 condition all over that the impression will be given that they 

 have been raised in a country where dirt is unknown. 



With good specimens shown in good condition, one will 

 surely be rewarded in the showroom, but should you find a 

 first prize ribbon on the coop of a Red Langshan, or a mahog- 

 any Red with ten or more different shades of red showing, 

 don't get discouraged, but show again. This has happened 

 many times and will happen again. Remember it is no 

 fault of the birds. 



Market for Good Specimens 



I have found a market for all the Reds I can raise at 

 good prices. In fact, I have not been able to fill many orders 



