40 



RHODE ISLAND REDS 



C. W. Augenstein, Supt. Pure Strain Farms, New York 



As the male is half of the pen, he should have the first 

 consideration. Naturally w§ select a male that is as near 

 as possible to Standard requirements, but he must be a good, 

 vigorous bird, for if he is not full of vim he is not worth 

 much and should not be used as a breeder. AVe are very- 

 careful not to use a bird with light eyes or white in the ear- 

 lobes, as such defects never improve, but grow worse every 

 year. We prefer to select a bird that is fairly good in all 

 sections rather than one that is very good in one or two 

 sections and away off in others. The good average bird 

 will make the b"fetter breeder and you will get better results 

 than if you go wild over a nice back or comb or any other 

 particular section. 



We are not particular about having a bird of great size, 

 but we want a bird up to Standard weight. We believe that 

 we get size and shape from the female and color and vigor 

 from the male. It pays to select a male with a generally 

 good disposition and one that handles himself well. A judge 

 seldom passes this kind of a bird in the show room without 

 giving him a place and such a bird always makes a good 

 breeder as he is usually kind to the females. Our experience 

 teaches us that we will get a better percentage of fertile eggs 

 from this kind of a male than from one that is always cross 

 to the females, keeping them from their feed, etc. We also 

 find that this kind of a bird is apt to produce his like in the 

 young stock. 



When ready to select birds for mating, round up the 

 males and select all the medium dark, even-colored ones that 

 have good under-color and good wing and tail markings. 

 Out of these select the best shaped birds. Use the long- 

 backed ones with a nice carriage of tail. Avoid using ex- 





PURE 5TRMH FARMS SCOHSVlLLt N.X. 



tremely high-tailed birds, as this is a serious defect. A 

 good many fine birds are not placed at some of our best 

 shows on account of high tails. Such a tail surely spoils the 

 appearance of a good bird, After you have selected for 

 shape, surface color, under-color, wing and tail markings, 

 then take the birds with the best combs. 



If you do not find among your male birds one with the 

 qualities herein mentioned, you would better purchase one 

 that has these qualities from some good reliable breeder. 

 Be sure to purchase a bird that has good breeding behind 

 him and you will have one that is worth breeding. We would 

 advise using a slightly inferior bird of a good strain rather 

 than to use a better one from a poor strain. These acci- 

 dental good birds never produce anything like themselves 

 and it is a waste of time and money to breed them. 



Select females that in color match the breast of the males 

 as nearly as possible. Do not have too much contrast in 

 color or you will not get any good colored birds. Have the 

 females particularly strong in the sections where the male 

 is weak, except that extremes of color must nt)t be mated. 

 If the male is weak in comb, have the females strong in comb, 

 etc. Mating in this way we get better chicks than the parents 



We tried the following experiment last season: A dark 

 cock was mated to two hens of light color. The result was 

 that we got uneven colored chicks, not one of them fit for 

 breeding purposes. 



We also mated a very good Rose Comb cockerel, about 

 as good a bird in color as we ever saw, but he had no spike 

 on his comb. We mated him to two very fine pullets that 

 were a perfect match in color and exceptionally strong in 

 the comb where the male was weak. From this mating we 

 have a fine lot of youngsters and it proved to be the best 

 mating we had last season. The young birds resemble the 

 parents very much, except that the young birds have very 

 nice combs — as good as the average that you would get 

 from a pair of birds, both of which had good combs. So 

 pleased were we with the result of this mating that we shall 

 use it again next year. 



D. W. Rich, Iowa 



No one who takes notice of the wide-spread popularity 

 of poultry shows, both in this and in foreign countries, can 

 fail to perceive what a great and dignified business the 

 production of exhibition birds has come to be. It is attract- 

 ing people in all walks of hfeas a healthy, fascinating and 

 profitable employment. 



The fancy poultry business depends chiefly upon the in- 

 trinsic merits of the various breeds of fowls. Beauty alone 

 in a breed is not enough to insure it a high and permanent 

 rank as an exhibition fowl. In addition to beauty there 

 must be native qualities of practical value and usefulness. 

 In these characteristics the Rhode Island Reds are now 

 decidedly in the lead, and as exhibition fowls they have on 

 that account a great future before them. 



There are a multitude of little details connected with 

 the task of raising an exhibition Rhode Island Red, and 

 most of them are understood only from experience. Aside 

 from these daily cares, which commence when the chick first 

 opens its eyes upon the world and end when it stands in its 

 coop, beautifully groomed, waiting for the blue ribbon, there 

 are a few important principles of breeding which the fancier 

 cannot know too well. Good buildings, ample range and 

 proper care are essential and play their part, but the first- 

 class show specimen must, after all, get its good markings 

 with typical shape and sound color from a well-bred ancestry. 



The fancier should also understand the difficulties that 

 confront him, and know how to overcome them and how to 

 attain desired improvements in the breed. I am convinced 

 that the most difficult problem in breeding fancy Rhode 



