CHAPTER IV 

 MEAT BREEDS 



Definition. — ^The term "meat breeds" is intended to designate 

 those varieties of chickens whose greatest usefulness lies in the 

 production of meat. Do not be misled by this definition. It does 

 not mean that these meat breeds are only useful for the produc- 

 tion of meat alone ; nor that others of the dual-purpose and other 

 classes are undesirable as meat producers. The term simply 

 means that these breeds excel in this branch of the poultry in- 

 dustry, reasons for which will become apparent in the following 

 paragraphs. 



Largest Fowls. — ^As might be expected, the meat breeds are 

 the largest fowls, the heaviest, broader and deeper in the body, 

 with a full breast, heavy limbs, and relatively short legs and neck. 

 They are mostly of Asiatic origin, and are popularly conceived to 

 be rather poor layers, persistent sitters, weak fliers, docile and 

 easily controlled. They lay large brown eggs, which are not likely 

 to run so high in fertility as the lighter breeds, consequently they 

 are seldom used in the day-old-chick trade. Because of their size 

 their development is slow, or rather a longer time is required for 

 them to reach maturity. Leghorns mature in from five to six 

 months, sometimes earlier ; whereas the Asiatic Breeds take from 

 eight to ten months, often longer. The chicks do not feather 

 quickly, and are often almost -nude at the age of two months. 

 This feature has its advantages and disadvantages. Chicks that 

 start to feather as soon as they leave the shell, such as the Leg- 

 horns, are often weakened by this rapid growth of plumage. On 

 the other hand, chicks that are bare of feathers are sometimes 

 affected by cold weather in the early Spring hatches. 



The leading varieties of the Asiatic class are the Brahmas, 



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