HISTORY OF ANCONAS 
27 
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Ancona Development 
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By E. R. Post 
From my experience in breeding, and 
from fa.cts observed not only on ex¬ 
amining my Official Ancona winners, 
but many other Official egg winners, 
in Coliseum bred-to-lay classes as well 
as others, broad feathers point to vigor 
and size. Another startling fact is 
Ancona Baby Chicks, ttuo days old 
that the Mediterraneans are in a bad 
way. The fancier is bent on the fancy 
end, and the utility man on the other 
extreme. One is all for feathers and 
blue ribbons, and the other for eggs. 
The first man lets slide the big oppor¬ 
tunity to develop a uniform fowl, full 
in flesh and weighing right up to stan¬ 
dard. If all Mediterraneans went on 
the market weighing 4 y 2 to 5 pounds 
at maturity they would be a choice 
c->Yn owl. It is much more practical 
to grow a uniform fleshed stock, and 
in the end much more profitable. Broil¬ 
ers should be full fleshed. I have seen 
hundreds of Ancona males as plump as 
quail and have proven as fine eating 
as any other broiler. By breeding size 
and keeping the flesh on our Mediter¬ 
ranean fowls, we can take away all 
restrictions on them as broilers or 
table fowl. 
What I like to see is sturdiness in 
young chickens. In breeding Anconas 
this sturdiness is our first considera¬ 
tion, for I find that Anconas must be 
big birds with substantial bodies for 
high egg production. Strong Ancona 
chicks must begin with strong Ancona 
parent stock. Breeders must have 
vigor to produce the vigorous chicks. 
Vigor is one of the most important 
characteristics of the proper breeding 
bird. Vigor in Anconas means less 
trouble, fewer losses, and stronger 
chicks, that will have a sturdier growth 
and ultimately heavier production un¬ 
der all conditions. 
Another important point in the 
breeder is size. Size means capacity 
and economical production, strong 
chicks that will live and the ability to 
turn feed into eggs, and more meat 
value when at the end of their egg pro¬ 
ducing days. 
After vigor and size, the next point 
to consider is the head. The female 
head should be short, and denoting 
vigor and activity. The males must 
be short and broad with an active eye, 
Ancona Chicks seven days old 
and face free from feathers. There 
should be a refinement of head points. 
I do not believe in top-heavy combs or 
wattles as seen in many English Leg- 
