Breeding Black .Hamburghs. 
3S9 
and back. Mr. Tegetmeier speaks of spangling being visible; all I can say is that I have 
examined birds in all lights, and I have never been able to see on a good bird anything of the 
sort* The whole of the feather, except the fluffy part, should be uniform in colour ; the green 
cannot be too pure, and the less of blue, or purple, or plum, or mazarine, the better. 
« As regards breeding for exhibition, it is one great advantage of this variety that prize birds 
of both sexes can be bred from the same parents ; at the same time, wherever there is convenience 
for doing so, it is advantageous to have the breeding-stock divided into two or more separate yards. 
You have more strings to your bow; you are more independent of your neighbours as regards 
fresh blood ; and moreover, it is very difficult to find a cock in which are united all the qualifications 
for breeding both sexes. 
“ In the selection of breeding-stock the faults to which Black Hamburghs are most liable 
should be kept in mind. These are ill-shapen combs, white faces, legginess, red hackles and 
saddles. I believe all black fowls are subject to this last defect, but Black Hamburghs are so 
especially, and the richer colour the bird, the more likely the red is to show itself. Now at an 
exhibition, colour does not seem to be looked for by the judges, in cocks especially, so much as the 
other points ; not nearly so much in my opinion as it ought to be, though, of course, cceteris 
paribus , colour will carry the day ; therefore, for cockerel breeding, parents should be chosen with 
perfect combs, good red faces free from white, round white ear-lobes free from red, hackle and 
saddle perfectly free from red, short legs, broad back and chest (narrow-bodied birds too often 
being squirrel-tailed, which is most objectionable, and generally hereditary). Want of colour is not 
of so much consequence. 
“ On the other hand, for breeding pullets, a cock must be sought for with as many of the 
above qualifications as can be found united with very brilliant colour. As I have already said, it is 
difficult to find a very rich cock quite free from red ; but colour you must have for breeding pullets, 
and I would much rather choose for the purpose a red-hackled cock, if good in other respects, than 
a dull-coloured one. I have often bred beautiful lustrous pullets from hens with very little colour, 
when mated with a bright cock ; but never from a dull-coloured cock, however lustrous the hens 
with him might be. 
“I am sorry that I cannot give any statistics as to the laying powers of Black Hamburghs; I 
have never kept any written records. But there can be no question as to their excellence in this 
respect. I have given away many to neighbours and friends, and they have almost all expressed 
astonishment at the numbers of eggs produced by them. The pullet which is so faithfully 
represented by Mr. Ludlow in his excellent picture, began to lay in the beginning of November. 
She was exhibited several times during the winter, which of course stopped her laying for the time, 
but she commenced again as soon as she was left in peace, and continued laying until the end of 
the following November, never having shown any inclination to sit. Most poultry-books say that 
Hamburghs never sit ; but according to my experience that is quite a mistake, at all events as 
regards fowls which have unrestricted liberty. I have kept Spangled, Pencilled, and Black 
Hamburghs, the purest strains of each, and every year I have had more or less hens of each 
variety broody. Some individuals, like the pullet mentioned above, never attempt to sit ; others 
will be broody two or three times in a season. I have not often allowed them to sit, wanting 
* Mr. Tegetmeier’s mistake evidently arose from examining birds bred by crossing Spangled Hamburghs with Spanish. 
Many so-called Black Hamburghs are thus produced, and v/e have even seen such breeding recommended and described in poultry- 
journals as the correct procedure. Such cross-bred birds will show the iridescent green spangle Mr. Tegetmeier describes, but 
which can never be distinguished on good birds of a pure strain. 
