SILVER LACED IVYANDOTTES. 



17 



If breeders are careful to look after the color of their 

 breeding males, lieeping always the slate undercolor in 

 mind, there would be little trouble experienced in this 

 section. 



color of slate, realizing that if we get away from the dark 

 in this section we will invariably run too light on surface 

 and eventually lose the most beautiful characteristic of the 

 breed — i. e., the well defined black lacing. 



<^ 



Fig. 23. 



To give the amateurs a better idea, as to the valuar 

 tion of these defects, we here illustrate four feathers se- 

 lected from the main tail of a Wyandotte male. (See 

 Pig. 23.) 



Feather No. 1 shows a slight tracing of white at base 

 and would be discounted l^ point. 



Feather No. 2 shows quite a bit of white and would be 

 discounted 1 point. 



Feather No. 3 is nearly half white, still shows some 

 black at the tip, and would be discounted 1"^ points. 



Feather No. 4 is nearly all white; what little- black 

 there is in it is only streaked through the white, making 

 the section really worse than if no black at all, and should 

 be discounted 2^ points. 



Breast. 



Next to back, breast is the most important section of 

 the Wyandotte, so far as shape is concerned. It is also of 

 great importance as regards color, and especially is this 

 true in males. 



To secure good open centers of white with a distinct 

 outer lacing of black, without having the white flecked with 

 black or without a lacing of white on outside of black, is 

 the aim of every Wyandotte breeder; and in describing the 

 color of this section they have set themselves a task that 

 they have found it far from easy to accomplish. 



When we find a good silvery surface on neck, back 

 and shoulders, we usually find more or less white in under- 

 color; and with this white comes another defect in the form 

 of a narrow white lacing on the lower edge of black on 

 breast and body. On the other hand, if we breed our birds 

 too dark, and fail in the silvery surface color, we find the 

 white centers in breast are too small and fail badly on body 

 and thighs. 



The aim of the Wyandotte breeder is to produce a spec- 

 imen with clear, open centers on breast, with a very dis- 

 tinct narrow outside lacing of black that carries well down 

 onto the body, the centers gradually growing smaller as 

 they approach the latter. Thighs should have the same 

 characteristics of markings and carried down to hock 

 joints. 



The Standard allows 10 points for this section, and di- 

 vides them equally between color and shape. In describing 

 the color of this section in the Silver Wyandottes (and it is 

 well to remember that the same description will fit the 

 Goldens) the Standard says: "Web of feather, black, with 

 large, oval-shaped white center; lacing, lustrous black, 

 sharply defined and free from white edging, the white cen- 

 ters free from black or brown; under color, dark slate." 



In describing body the same description is given, ex- 

 cept filling in, where the description is "dark slate," pow- 

 dered with gray; under color, dark slate. It will be noted 

 in the description of color all the way through that the 

 Standard makers are careful to call attention to the under 



Fig 24. 



In Fig. 24 we illustrate some feathers selected from a 

 , Silver Wyandotte male owned by Mr. A. C. LeDuc, Chenoa, 

 III., who was at one time considered one of the best Silver 

 breeders. These feathers show about the right proportion 

 of black and white. Breast feather No. 1 comes nearer fit> 

 ting the Standard description of oval-shaped centers, while 

 feather No. 2 of the breast section is a little too pointed 

 and black edging is not quite so even as in feather No. 1. 

 While the illustration doesn't show it, feather No. 2 has 

 the most intense outer edging of black I have ever found 

 on a male bird of this variety. Feather No. 3 of this group 

 is taken from the thigh down near the hock and shows 

 the same style of lacing that characterizes this bird 

 throughout. Feather No. 4 is taken from body. This 

 feather should have more white, as the overlapping of 

 feathers in this section hides the greater part of the white 

 center that is displayed in the picture. 



In Fig. 25 is shown a group of feathers that illustrate 

 in part the defects that are met with in both the Silver 

 and Golden Wyandotte male. 



Feather No. 1 of this group illustrates our idea of 

 what a perfect feather should be. It has about the right 

 proportion of black and white, or golden and black, as the 

 case may be. 



Feather No. 2 is entirely too dark, and the overlapping 

 of this kind of feathers gives the specimen the appearance 

 of having almost, if not entirely, black breasts. A breast 

 of this kind can be serviceable only as a breeder where 

 the fem'ales run entirely too light and it is necessary to 

 . add what would be termed by breeders "black blood" in 

 building up again, but in a show room a breast like this 

 would be discounted 1% points. 



Feather No. 3 is good in general color, except the lac- 

 ing of white on outside of black. The new Standard al- 

 lows the judge considerable leeway In color, and a compe- 

 tent judge would cut a Wyandotte male showing frosted 

 feathers like this over the entire >breast section at least 

 2 points. 



Feather No. 4 shows good open centers and about the 

 right proportion of black at end of feather, but the narrow 

 lacing of black on sides of feather is not sufficient and un- 

 der color is entirely too light. A feather like this would 

 be discounted 1 point. 



Feather No. 5 is what we may expect If we do not 

 watch carefully the dark under color and allow too much 

 white to creep into our breeding stock. There is a cres- 

 cent marking at the end of feather, but fails entirely in lac- 

 ing underneath, and should b? discounted at least 2'^ 

 points. 



Feather No. 6 has the same defect as feather No. 5, 

 but, in addition, the white center is flecked with black. 

 Breasts like this should be discarded from the breeding 

 pen, as they will invariably disappoint you in breeding, 

 no matter how good your females should be, and in the 

 show room should be discounted 3% points. 



In view of the heavy cut that is made on feather No. 6, 

 it is well to call attention to the fact that in using more 

 than 50 per cent, of all the points allowed for color that 

 we have in this feather both the white and the black are 

 defective. If only one of them is defective you can dis- 

 count only half the value of the section. In other words, if 

 the black is all right and the white is entirely to blame, 

 then 2% would be the limit, as there are only five points 



