HISTORY OF ANCONAS 
t>9 
ica was rather uneventful, as the breed 
was in no way promoted, advertised, 
or even pictured. And it was only 
when their wonderful egg production 
began tc be discovered by enterprising 
breeders that the Ancona era opened. 
The day of the egg laying contest then 
came, and Anconas soon began to take 
part in these modern and highly en¬ 
lightening trials and tests. 
Several official laying contests in dif¬ 
ferent parts of the United States, Can¬ 
ada and foreign countries have given 
Anconas the highest honor that can be 
accorded a breed: that they produce 
eggs at the least cost per dozen of any 
breed, that their eggs weigh more per 
dozen, and their percentage of winter 
eggs is the highest. Added to this is 
their remarkable early development, 
and extreme hardiness. 
Anconas breed very true to type and 
color, and have become one of the 
strongest classes at poultry shows 
everywhere. At scores of exhibitions 
Anconas outnumber any other breed. 
When fanciers take up a breed as they 
have Anconas their future popularity 
is assured. Anconas are great for¬ 
agers, and their color makes them com¬ 
paratively safe from hawks, etc., as 
their greenish tint and mottled plum¬ 
age blend with the landscape. They 
are nonsitters, and the rare broody 
hens are easily broken up, and return 
to laying. 
Canadian Poultry Review: 
There are a great many breeders in 
Canada who during the past two or 
three years have been specializing in 
Anconas, both single comb and rose 
comb. 
In several of our egg laying contests 
the Ancona pens have made such satis¬ 
factory records that it has boosted the 
breed into greater prominence. 
The Ancona entries at a large num¬ 
ber of the shows have jumped from 
insignificance to one of the largest 
classes, and quality has kept pace with 
increase in numbers. 
Anconas seem to be well adapted to 
the rigor of Canadian winters, and the 
breed has justified the claims made for 
it of being producers of winter eggs. 
Ancona breeders are well organized, 
and show hearty co-operation in promo¬ 
ting their mutual interests. 
Poultry men and women who have 
not yet taken up Anconas would be 
wise to get started with them. 
The time to make money with a 
breed is when that breed is forging 
ahead, and there is no question but 
Anconas have of late been making 
wonderful progress that is quite likely 
to continue for some time to come. 
Anconas lay a large white egg, and 
several government tests have con¬ 
firmed the claims that Anconas produce 
eggs at less cost per dozen than any 
other breed. This is why Anconas are 
the most profitable. 
In appearance Anconas are strikingly 
handsome birds, having a black plum¬ 
age flecked with white, giving them a 
dressy, mottled appearance. Legs are 
yellow, or yellow mottled with black; 
green or willowy legs are a disquali¬ 
fication. In breeding Anconas care 
should be taken in selecting, as ex¬ 
tremely dark birds are objectionable, 
as are those with white in large splatch- 
es. The feathers should show fine white 
tips about the size of the end of a lead 
pencil rubber. By selection each year 
a uniform and stable mottling will re¬ 
sult. 
Ancona chicks are very hardy and 
vigorous; when first hatched they are 
canary color, with black backs and 
heads. They develop quickly, and ex¬ 
tremely early laying is a pronounced 
Ancona trait. 
Rose combs have during the last 
couple of years been gaining in pop¬ 
ularity. There are but the two vari¬ 
eties,—single and rose comb. 
