HISTORY OF ANCONAS 
20 
on the range 4 ; 000 choice sturdy chicks, 
all hatched from white eggs weighing 
26 oz. per dozen, and from dams used 
for breeders from known high egg pro¬ 
ducers. I feed my stock and water 
them 4 times a day, 5 a. m., 10 a. m., 
2 p. m., and 5 p. m. My chicks are 
started out in life in a 30x30 nursery. 
At two weeks they are put into a port¬ 
able colony house 10x12 of the Quissen- 
berry type, which are hauled to new 
ground along alfalfa, grain or corn 
fields. Along our fences we sow sweet 
clover, which is additional shade. An¬ 
cona chicks that are to become splen¬ 
did individuals of the highest standard 
quality must be in good flesh at all 
times. 
Exercise, sufficient to create an ap¬ 
petite, rations not containing too much 
fiber or ash, balanced to give uniform 
growth, is the secret of successful 
poultry raising. In keeping your stock 
in good flesh all the time means less 
loss; and your broilers will go on the 
market in much better condition. If 
every Mediterranean breeder would 
grow his stock along these lines we 
would soon have the market demand¬ 
ing cur broilers. It is a costly mistake 
to overdevelop in bone, making them 
rangcy, awkward birds when broiler 
time comes. They are then cast on 
the market in an unfit condition and 
many times rejected. Make it a point 
to develop flesh with the bone and you 
will have greater egg production. If 
properly fed the birds need not be 
separated until 8 weeks old, when the 
males should weigh from 1 to 1 V 2 
pounds. They are then usually develop¬ 
ed enough so that you can retain those 
that are to be your future breeders. 
All off-colored, weak in headpoints, or 
overdeveloped rough combs should he 
marketed. 
I believe in an abundance of range, 
alfalfa and kale; these two green feeds 
are full of qualities that go toward 
making for growth. While chicks are 
growing one-fourth of their diet is 
green feed, and at maturity I increase 
it to one-third. It is an economical 
feed, also, when you consider its food 
value. From experience and observa¬ 
tion of other breeders, I am inclined 
to think that the majority of poultry- 
men do not feed enough of it. The 
change from the range to the perma¬ 
nent quarters must be so arranged that 
no curtailment of this food takes place. 
Ancona Chichs tvuelve meeks old 
Serious trouble can be traced to the 
lack of it. Be sure to have plenty of 
it during the hot months, when the 
range becomes dry in some parts of 
the country. For the future advance¬ 
ment of Anconas, breed them up to the 
Standard in weight. Eliminate all 2 or 3 
pound females as breeders. Select 
them for the points given in the fore¬ 
going. The Standard weights given 
are: Cock. 5% lbs.; Cockerel, 4V 2 lbs.; 
Hen, 4V 2 lbs.; Pullet, 3% lbs.; Better 
a half pound over weight instead of un¬ 
der weight. Profitable poultry is what 
is wanted, and one of the brightest of all 
poultry futures lies in the hands of the 
breeders of Anconas, who are breed¬ 
ing useful and practical Anconas. 
