GG 
HISTORY OF ANCONAS 
The utility breeder wants the An- 
conas because they are the most profit¬ 
able breed. The fancier wants the An- 
conas because of their constantly in¬ 
creasing popularity, for a has-been 
doesn’t appeal to them. 
Poultry Item: 
Ancona fowls stand at the head of 
the alphabetical index, and also in 
several other respects this handsome 
breed “heads the procession.” 
Their claim as superior layers is 
hacked by practical demonstrations at 
annual egg-laying contests in Missouri, 
U. S. A., and Victoria, B. C.—two of 
the leading government-conducted con¬ 
tests on this continent. And in these 
contests Anconas not only beat all 
other breeds in the number of eggs 
laid per hen per year, but the Ancona 
eggs in both contests were the heaviest 
of all. 
The fact that Anconas lay so many 
eggs, and that their eggs weigh more 
per dozen than any other breed (ab¬ 
solutely no breed excepted) are among 
the reasons why so many beginners 
are starting in with these mottled 
beauties. 
Then, too, it has been de-men trat'd 
times without number by breeders in 
all climes and at all seasons, that An¬ 
conas produce more eggs to the hun¬ 
dred pounds of feed consumed than any 
other breed. The contest at the Mis¬ 
souri Exnerimpnt Staten erod'd tha 4- 
on every 100 pounds of feed consumed, 
the Anconas produced from 30 to 125 
more eggs than other breeds. No other 
fact than this one should be needed to 
induce poultrymen who are after 
profits to discard other breeds for the 
greatest of all egg breeds—the Mot¬ 
tled Ancona. 
Ancona pullets very frequently be¬ 
gin laying when 1G to 20 weeks old, 
and whole flocks will be producing 
eggs from two to three months ahead 
of other breeds. This means that they 
are “boarders” for a very short time 
only and begin early in life to pay a 
profit. 
These claims are not fictitious, but 
are facts from the experience of hun¬ 
dreds of breeders, the trap nest, ex¬ 
periment station findings and govern¬ 
ment contests. 
Is this not enough to make one 
want to become an Ancona breeder? 
Then there is the fancier’s side. 
Why do we find at the large poultry 
shows all over the country that the 
Ancona class is one of the very larg¬ 
est, and frequently outnumbers any 
other breed? Breeders have awaken¬ 
ed to the fact that from a purely 
“fancy” standpoint the Anconas have 
much to recomme'ncj them. Their 
beautiful glossy black, flaked with 
pure white, g'ves them a most attrac 
ive plumage which, coupled with their 
sprightly behavior and proud carriage, 
is enough to make them a prime fa¬ 
vorite with any lover of fancy poultry. 
They are not so easy to breed close 
to the Standard requirements but that 
there is zest to the game. Plenty of 
opportunity here for a breeder to test 
his skill. 
The fancy is well looked after by 
one of the largest and best organized 
specialty clubs and this means that 
the present popularity of Anconas will 
not b° allowed to recede, for a worthy 
breed backed by a strong, active, pro¬ 
gressive club, is sure to be made and 
kept a. winner. 
The publicity given to Anconas is 
not a speculation or promotion for 
money returns. No designs are made 
by large breeders as a means of boost¬ 
ing their own business. It is not a 
matter of profit. The Ancona breed¬ 
ers are so enthused over the perform¬ 
ance of their birds, and the profit they 
show, that they just can’t keep quiet 
about it. 
Any poultry breeder who wants a 
beautiful fowl, and one that pays the 
most profit and whose popularity is 
on the increase, should take up Mot¬ 
tled Anconas. 
