20 



SILVER LACED WYANDOTTES. 



The reader will note that the Standard says the shafts 

 of feathers may be white. Were I instructing a class in 

 breeding Silver Wyandottes, I would go still further and 

 say the feather may have a diamond-shaped white center 

 so long as it showed a good dark under color, with correct 

 outside lacing. 



Si<y.2.9 



Feather No. 4 would be my ideal for a breeding female, 

 especially were I expecting good open lacing on back, 

 breast and wing bows of pullets. In the Standard descrip- 

 tion of color, you will note these words: "Under color, 

 dark slate." Don't overlook this important feature if you 

 wish to establish a strain of reliable breeders. Remember 

 that pure black is just as essential as pure white. I would 

 cut brown, or rusty color, in black just as much as I would 

 brass, or straw color, in white. Always keep two things 

 in mind in breeding Silver Wyandottes if you expect suc- 

 cess: First, a good slate under color In all sections; sec- 

 ond, a nice, clean outer lacing, free from foreign color. 



Avoid using a male or female with a hackle feather, 

 like feathers Nos. 1 and 2 in Fig. 29. Feather No. 1 is too 

 light, has no distinct lacing, the black and white are both 

 defective, and should be discounted at least 4 points. 

 Feather No. 2 has a defect that was at one time quite com- 

 mon in this variety, the black running to the end of the 

 feather and lacing stopping short, giving the neck a smutty, 

 blacjc ring at base of hackle. This defect is not so com- 

 mon now as formerly, but we occasionally find specimens 

 showing it in more or less degree, and whenj such' defects 

 do appear they should be severely punished, and I would 

 advise breeders to discard them entirely where the best 

 of results are expected. When' an extreme mating is de- 

 sired, they can be used with fairly good results — ^that is, 



this one section that one is sometimes tempted to advo- 

 cate the change of the color description and see ir we 

 can't decide on something that nature will assist in per- 

 fecting. But to change the color, in our opinion, would ma- 

 terially injure the beauty of the bird, as nice, open white 

 centers, free from black penciling, with distinct outer lac- 

 ing of jet black with sound under color. Is the handsomest 

 plumage that we could adopt. The old Dark Brahma blood 

 that was in the original cross that made up our Silver Wy- 

 andotte will come to the surface, and this section seems to 

 have a peculiar tendency to show it more than all others. 



To arrive at perfection In this breed we must study the 

 matings as carefully as an expert painter would study col- 

 ors in mixing for a particular shade. We must have a suffi- 

 cient amount of white to make the nice oval centers. At 

 the same time we cannot overlook the dark under color 

 if we expect the black to hold. 



In Fig. No. 30 is shown a group of feathers that illus- 

 trate a few of the several defects that the breeders of this 

 variety are constantly confronted with. 



Feather No. 1 fits the Standard description of color in 

 this section and is the one breeders are trying to obtain. 



Feather No. 2 shows a defect that is quite common in 

 the large open-centered varieties. The outer lacing is good, 

 but breaks away at the bottom, and under color is too light. 

 A feather like this should be discounted 1 point. 



Feather No. 3 shows a defect common in this breed 

 when too dark matings are resorted to. The outer lacing 

 of black is good and shows a surface that fairly glistens 

 in the sunlight, but the centers are entirely too small and 

 should be discounted 1% points. 



Feather No. 4 is good in the white center, but black 

 edging is irregular and runs out at the tip, making the 

 black look mussy and irregular, and should be discounted 

 1% points. 



Feather No. 5 shows the tracing of the Dark Brahma 

 color so peculiar to this breed, and one that few, if any, 

 of our females are entirely free from. A back showing 

 plumage of this kind should be discouijted three points. 



Feather No. 6 shows a defect that Is quite common in 

 Silver Wyandotte females. The white center is about the 

 right proportion, but it is flecked with black and outer edge 

 is not as clear and distinct as it should be. Backs like this 

 have a mossy color that is an eyesore to Wyandotte breed- 

 ers and should be discounted 2 points. 

 Breast. 



The color of breast in all American varieties has a val- 

 uation of five points, and on Silver Wyandottes we find 



Fig. 



when the opposite sex is very light in hackle. This style 

 of lacing might be used for one cross in order to strengthen 

 the black, but even then It is not sure of success, and, as 

 a rule, the best results follow by using the colors as de- 

 scribed by the Standard. A neck showing feathers like No. 

 2 should be out 1% points. 



Back. 



In all jjarti-colored breeds back color is of vast im- 

 portance, and it is rare indeed that a specimen of any of 

 the varieties passes without discount in this section. 



Silver Wyandotte females are especially faulty in this, 

 no matter how good they may be in the breast and wing 

 bows. To find a hen, or pullet that is absolutely correct in 

 back lacing is so rare that It causes no end of comment 

 and is talked of for months by the leading breeders of this 

 variety. There are so many little defects that creep into 



some crescentic-marked feathers that fail to show the lac- 

 ing entirely around.' Another defect is sometimes found in 

 this variety — a tracing of white on outside of black, mak- 

 ing something in the form of a triple lacing. This Is quite 

 often found in females where we have not been careful 

 enough to guard the dark under color. 



In Fig. No. 31 are shown three feathers illustrating the 

 defects referred to. 



Feather No. 1 is taken from up near the throat, and 

 shows the crescentic markings, and should be discounted 

 1% points. The white In this feather is all right, but is 

 lacking in black, and for this reason does not receive as 

 much of a discount as it would if both colors were defective. 



Feather No. 2 shows flecking in white center, and 

 should be discounted 1 point. 



