COMMERCIAL POULTRY RAISING 



CHAPTER I 



AMERICAN POULTRY INDUSTRY 



The term poultry, as it is commonly understood, applies col- 

 lectively to those species of domestic birds which are kept for 

 the purpose of furnishing eggs and meat for human consump- 

 tion. Game birds are used on the table, but so long as they re- 

 main in a wild state they cannot be classed as poultry. On the 

 other hand, we are disposed to consider certain species of birds 

 as poultry, such as pigeons which are bred for ornament or as 

 carriers, whereas they do not rightfully belong under this head. 

 Peafowls are considered as poultry, and while formerly they were 

 bred for the table, they are now raised almost exclusively for orna- 

 ment. Swans are in pretty much the same position as peafowls. 



Main Divisions. — Technically there are three main divisions 

 of poultry: (i) Gallinacea, or comb bearers, which include 

 chickens, turkeys, guinea fowls, pheasants and quail. All re- 

 semble each other in general structure and habits, and all are 

 distinguished from other birds in that the flesh on the breast 

 and wings is lighter in color than on the rest of the body. (2) 

 Natatores, or swimmers, include ducks, geese and swans, and 

 are characterized by their web feet and long, thick bills. (3) 

 CoLUMBiDAE, or doves, is the other order; pigeons are its only 

 representatives in the poultry world. 



Chickens comprise the bulk of the poultry industry, especially 

 in this country, and their relation to the animal kingdom is as 

 follows: They belong to the series, Metazoa, because they con- 

 sist of animals with cellular tissues and true eggs. They are of 

 the branch, Vertebrata, inasmuch as they are animals having an 

 internal skeleton and backbone. They are in the division known 

 I 1 



