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Breeding Fancy Bantams. 



By M. K. Miller. 



No branch of the poultry interest has advanced so rapidly 

 as has the breeding of bantams. We see among the breeders of 

 to-day all classes from the day laborer to the millionaire. 



In breeding any variety of bantams the same rules must be 

 followed as in breeding any of the large varieties of fowls. The 

 most important factor is in selecting good healthy stock. Unless 

 the parent stock is healthy, vigorous and free from hereditary 

 ailment one can not expect satisfactory results. 



From weak birds many of the eggs will not be fertile and 

 those that are will hatch chicks of low vitality that seldom grow 

 to maturity. Those that do will be subject to roup and other 

 diseases. A bantam that has once had a severe attack of roup 

 is not a fit bird to breed from. The offspring will in nine cases 

 out of ten be puny weaklings, and a source of annoyance and dis- 

 couragement to the breeder. Never buy a bird to breed from 

 that you know has been diseased simply because the price is low. 

 The hearty, vigorous ones at a fair price are always the cheapest 

 and the results obtained more satisfactory. The breeder who 

 devotes his time to only one breed is by far more sure of success. 

 To breed bantams successfully, not only great care is required 

 but superior intelligence and a constant study in order to acquire 

 a thorough knowledge of the breed undertaken. This is truer in 

 the breeding of fancy bantams than of almost any other animal. 

 I would not advise any one to undertake the breeding of fancy 

 bantams with the selfish notion of making money only, unless he 

 has considerable experience in the laws which govern those of 

 reproduction. As a rule, beginners enter into the business with 

 great expectations and dreams of firnancial success, but ofttimes 

 fail, 5nly to try again until his past experience has taught him 

 what a difficult art it is. Still, one is bound to succeed in time if 

 lots of grit, pluck, a level head, and, above all, a natural love for 

 the kind bred, also a standard of the variety bred to be able 

 to know what to breed for. Breeding fancy bantams rtieans birds 

 bred to standard requirements and as pure as it is possible to 

 breed them. To obtain any degree of perfection in any variety 



