Their Early History and Origin— The Breeds that Were Used to Produce the Color- 



A Fight for a Name. 



WONDER how many of our Partridge Wy- 

 andotte breeders of today call to mind 

 the first bird^ of this variety they ever 

 saw and the Impression the new variety 

 made on them at that time — how many 

 of you made any notes that you can re- 

 fer to now? I would gamble on it that 

 not one out of ten can recall the first 

 ones or have any fixed idea as to the 

 quality at the .time they were first ex- 

 hibited, or how they came to give them any special notice, 

 providing such notice was given. I am going to remind two 

 well known judges of our first introduction to this variety. 

 At the Midcontinental Show, held at Kansas City In 

 1894, there was a coop of these birds shown, I think by Mr. 

 W. A. Doolittle, of Sabetha, Kan., who was then breeding 

 Golden Wyandottes. Mr. Sloots, Secretary of the show, 

 called my attention to the exhibit, saying there was a new- 

 fangled Wyandotte entered by some "duck" from Kansas, 

 but hfe had not been able to locate them. He said: "They 

 are called 'Partridge Wyandottes,' and the only birds I can 

 find are Golden Wyandottes." 



At this time Tom Southard, of Kansas City, then a 

 breeder but now well known as a poultry judge, came along, 

 and he suggested that we look them up, and in going down 

 the , aisle we met Mr. F. W. Hitchcock, who at that time 

 was one of the best known judges In the West, and Invited 

 him to accompany us. 



The show was held that year In the old Priests of 

 Palace Hall. This building had a main floor and a large 

 gallery, and In the west gallery we found the birds, and 

 they had not been uncooped. They were shipped in a crate 

 made of paper cardboard, with partitions between each 

 bird. We had to remove them to get a llnei on the color, 

 ■and there was quite -a discussion In regard to them and 

 how they had been produced. One of the party claimed 

 that they were only runout Golden Wyandottes; that 

 through careless mating had gotten a lot of lacing In 

 back of females ; but when, on closer examination, we found 

 the same lacing on breast and body, as well as wing bows, 

 we had to admit that some one was springing a new one 

 on us. 



The females at that time were not nearly so well pen- 

 ciled as we find them today, but they were good for a new 

 breed and had size and shape superior to many of the Sil- 

 vers and Whites In the same show. 



In females the penciling was quite good In wing bow 

 and center of back; the cushion showed quite a bit of strlp- 

 pllng up near the tall and the upper breast showed more 

 or less shafting, but lower breast and sides were better 

 than many Partridge Cochins in the same exhibition. 



The male was. good in neck and back. He showed 

 some red in breast, something after the style of our pullet 

 breeders of today. 



Taking them all In all, they were of good quality and 

 showed they were worthy of careful study. Later I learned 

 the name "Parti-idge Wyandotte" had been given them by 

 their originator, Mr. O. E. Thiem, of Iowa. 



About this time the same colored birds were shown by 

 other breeders In different parts of the country, who named 

 them "Golden Penciled Wyandottes," the late Ezra Cor- 

 nell being the one, I believe, to suggest this name. Then 

 followed some long newspaper controversies as to the 

 proper name and who was entitled to the honor of flr.st pro- 

 ducing and showing the new variety. This controversy 

 probably did more to Introduce them than any one thin.i;, 

 as in a very short time we found good classes of Partridge 

 Wyandottes In all the large shows. This controversy was 

 finally ended when the American Poultry Association, at 



their Chicago meeting, adopted them as a Standard fowl 

 under the name of Partridge Wyandotte, and the Standard, 

 as prepared by the Western originator, Mr. Thlem, was 

 adopted almost to the letter. 



As to how the variety originated, we publish here a let- 

 ter from Mr. Thlem, written especially for The Inland Poul- 

 try Journal, which tells the tale In his own words. The 

 writer is under the Impression that Mr. Doolittle showed 

 the birds at Kansas City, but whether they were entered In 

 his name or that of Mr. Thlem I cannot say. But be that iis 

 It may, the birds referred to were the original Thlem strain. 



CORRECT HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN OF 

 PARTRIDGE WYANDOTTES. 



1 have bred fowls since 1S50, and since that time I 

 have seen the advantage 'Of crossing dieffernt breeds in or- 

 der to establish new breeds or varieties that would be Im- 

 provements on the old ones, 



I began in 1878 more scientifically and with a certain 

 purpose In view. Not being satisfied with one thing long, 

 I undertook to make several new crosses. It takes lots 

 of patience, labor and time to reach the desired end, and 

 in order to succeed in a shorter time, and more thoroughly, 

 I co-operated with the late James MoKeen, of Omro, Wis., 

 who was known the world over as the originator of the^ 

 most beautiful fowl ever admitted to the Stan'dnrd of Per- 

 fection — now known as the Golden Wyandotte. 



The history of this fowl Is probably known to the ma- 

 jority of the breeders as a cross between the Partridge Co- 

 chin, the Silver Laced Wyandotte and a Game fowl of 

 a deep buff color, with black tall and wings and a clear 

 yellow leg, known as the Winnebago. 



In 1880 the Golden Wyandotte was again used as a 

 cross with the Partridge Cochin, and the old Partridge Co- 

 chin was crossed to a Winnebago. The oftsprlns of these 

 two crosses was then recrossed with the Wyandotte shape, 

 with the Partridge Cochin color. 



It was In 1893 that our efforts were crowned with suc- 

 cess, and In 1894 I was able to show the first birds of our 

 labor at the great Midcontinental Show In Kansas City, 

 when we, to our great surprise, learned that other |)artles 

 :i thousand miles away were working in the same direction. 



The Partridge Wyandottes, as we have called them, am 

 a strictly American breed. The pullets weigh .'5^4, hens 

 6V3, cockerels 7%, cocks HV^. 



In 1894 Mr. McKeen aind I prepared a Standard of this 

 variety, which the American Poultry Association adopted 

 with very few changes. 



The Partrld.ge Wyandotte is a, very hearty fowl, and 

 really the fowl for our Northern climate. The amount of 

 Cochin blood in them makes it easy for breeders to get 

 them up to Standard weight. The Game blood, which has 

 given them life and activity, has also given them a com- 

 liact form, and ha.s produced a fowl for the table fit for 

 a king. 



The vigor of three different bi-eeds put In one has given 

 us a breed of most prolific layers, which will equal any 

 Minorca or Leghorn, and have outdone the greatest English 

 breed— the Orpingtons— at a coiitest made by the English, 



Many flattering compliments have been paid me by 

 large breeders in foreign countrloH. Birds sent by me to 

 England, Jai»an, Africa and Australia have stood a remark- 

 able test In those countries. Having made several ship- 

 ments to fanciers In Australia, the birds have attracted 

 such wide attention as to Induce the Government to try 

 them in an experimental way, and have negotiated with 

 me for the purpose of furnishing fowls for their oxperl- 

 mental stations. 



