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Chapter XXXVIII. 
HAMBURGS. 
To Mr. Samuel Harkness, of the Jesmond Poultry Farm, Riverstone, N.S.W., we are indebted for the following 
description and exhaustive hints on mating and breeding all the varieties of Hamburgs. This gentleman's 
advice is all the more valuable, embodying, as it does, the experience gained with this class of Fowl, both in 
the Old Country and in Australia. To use Mr. Harkness' own words, he writes : — 
"Hamburgs are indisputably the most beautiful, as well as the most useful, of all breeds of Poultry, and 
no Fancier who has an eye for the beautiful can look upon a pen of Hamburgs, whether Golden or Silver- 
pencilled, Spangled, or Black, without being struck with the extreme beauty of form and plumage, each and 
all offering, in their unequalled variety of marking and colour, an amount of attraction unsurpassed, or even 
equalled by any other breed of Domestic Poultry. Visitors will walk from pen to pen, and from one breed 
to another, without being able to decide which breed to select, enquiring which is best, etc., etc. ; but just 
show them a pen of Hamburgs, no matter of which variety, and they become Fanciers instantly. Hamburgs 
they will have at any cost. As a generally useful Fowl they are second to none, as, under favourable con- 
ditions, each hen will lay from 200 to 220 eggs per annum, surpassing that model layer, the Leghorn. I must 
candidly admit that the eggs laid are not as large as most other varieties, generally running 7 to 9 eggs to the 
pound, but, on the other hand, are as large as many modern breeds twice their size, and which consume more 
food in a week than a Hamburg would in a month. However, if treated properly, I am of opinion that, for 
actual weight of eggs, or number laid during the j'ear, they are far in advance of any other breeds of Poultry. 
There is, of course, a wide difference in the laying capabilities of different strains of Hamburgs, but this is 
not entirely the fault of the breed, the Fancy points being fostered by many breeders, to the detriment of the 
laying qualities. Hamburg pullets are generally seven or eight months old before they lay, rarely laying 
before they are six months old, although a statement was made by a Fancier that he had a Golden-pencilled 
pullet laying at nine weeks old. I would not doubt his word for a moment, but, as he admitted that he kept 
canaries at the same time, I fancy that the canaries and Hamburgs got slightly mixed. Hamburgs are a 
rather small fowl, cocks averaging about 5 J lbs., hens about 4 lbs , but I have had Silver and Gold Spangles, 
also Blacks, which weighed : cocks 7 lbs., hens, 55 lbs., which show that, by careful study in mating and 
breeding, the size could be greatly increased. They are excellent eating, the flesh being white and tender, 
and similar to the Partridge in flavour, and I have frequently heard the remark passed by competent 
authorities that they would rather have a Hamburg on the table than a fowl nearly as large as a turkey. 
They are also very hardy, living to a great age if cared for properly. It is all moonshine to state that it is 
compulsory to allow Hamburgs free range, and that they will not do well in confinement. I have kept them 
in both countries (Great Britain and Australia), under both circumstances, and have found no breed of Poultry 
that will stand confinement better. I have Hamburgs in all varieties up to 10 years of age, which have been 
bred and reared in confinement, and they look better and more sprightly than many birds which have a free 
range. I had one Silver-spangled hen ten years old, the winner of numerous first prizes, which laid as well up 
to the time of her death as when she was in her second year. My father, in England, had a pair over 
20 years old. He bred from them at this age, and they zccre kept in confinement ; in fact, free range is not 
so much required as care and attention in their feeding and management. I keep my birds (through force 
of circumstances) in close confinement, and visitors often express surprise at their splendid condition ; in 
fact, they always look the picture of health and contentment. 1 keep their houses clean, and feed on the 
best food, such as wheat, barley, pollard, plenty of shell grit, etc., and avoid tonics or medicine of any 
